Walking Dead
by KTGates
Summary: The story of the Walking Dead with an extra character. ShaneOC
1. Chapter 1

Dear Reader,

This story has not been posted so you can tell me I left out a word or spelled something wrong. It's here because I wanted to write it and thought someone else might enjoy it. I don't know if I will ever finish it since SPOILER Shane dies but I might.

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I'd just sat Carl down at the couch with a plate of chicken fingers when the doorbell rang. I left my nephew watching Spongebob while I answered the door. I smiled when I saw my brother's partner in crime and an old friend of mine.

"Thought you were going to leave me to take care of the twerp all by myself," I said stepping aside to let him in the house.

"Now I wouldn't do that to you," Shane said ruffling my hair and heading over to Carl.

"Hope Rick and Lori are having fun," I said. My brother Rick had left his son with me and Shane to babysit while he and his wife Lori went on a much needed vacation. Carl wasn't hard to look after. It's just he had a habit of exploring. I had asked Shane to help me keep up with him today on our trip to the fair.

"I'm sure they are. Probably broken in every surface of that hotel suite," Shane said plopping down beside Carl.

"Shane!" I said with wide eyes.

"What?" he said looking up at me. I motioned towards Carl and Shane glanced down at him. "He's clueless."

It's true. The 8 year old was completely engrossed in the TV show. I left Shane to watch him while I finished getting ready when I was done Shane grabbed Carl's things and we headed out the door but not before I shut off the light. Shane paused at the door and looked at me. I raised my eyebrow at him.

"That is why you're my favorite female little Grimes," he said pointing to the light switch.

It was about two years later when Shane called me with the news that Rick had been shot. I was in Savannah Georgia at college at the time. I went home immediately to learn my brother was in a coma. I couldn't stay for long and when I left for Savannah again I was so struck with grief I thought I'd never see my brother alive again. How right I was.

I was in class taking notes on the Renaissance when the first of the dead appeared. The campus city was taken so fast I don't know how I survived to make it out. It was all a blur as I ran down the crowded streets of Savannah with the rest of the living. The people in the back and on the sides were being grabbed and bitten fast. People were being ran over by panicked drivers. Others being shot by confused soldiers who had entered the city.

I managed to make it to my dorm where I packed my backpack full of things I would need and rushed to my own car. I took the quickest way out of the city and headed to my hometown without hesitation. The only thing left for me in King County was my sister-in-law Lori, my comatose brother, and Shane. But I knew I had to get to them. The interstate was packed bumper to bumper. Check points were set up everywhere to make sure no was transporting the infection. If someone was suspected of having the virus they were taken to the side of the road, put down on their knees execution style and had a bullet put in the back of their head.

Cars were running out of gas and people were dying everywhere. I was still hundreds of miles from home and my car was low on gas without an exit in site. My radio was on picking up a station saying the outbreak was being handled and to stay indoors. They weren't sure what the virus was but they urged people to wash their hands and take someone with symptoms straight to the emergency room. I called my friend who was a nurse back home but she only answered for a minute saying no one knew how to treat it and they were covered up with patients.

My car ran out of gas 30 miles out of Atlanta. Home was just north of there. A man helped me push my car to the side of the road. His car had also ran out of gas a few miles back and he was making a hike to Atlanta. I agreed to join him. A small family consisting of a man, his wife, and small girl joined us 10 miles later. By now the sun had began to set and we decided to make camp for the night in an abandoned SUV.

None of us slept. Between the screams of the living and the growls of the dead in the distance it seemed impossible. Gunshots were heard all night telling us they were closing in on Atlanta. I planned to find a way home once I reached there. I just had to make it there before the virus took the whole city over, or worse, me.

The next day it seemed my backpacked weighed 100 pounds and I thought I would die of starvation and the heat. Just when I thought I couldn't walk any further an RV stopped alongside us.

"Need a ride?" an old man asked from the door.

"Dale this isn't a good idea," I heard a womans voice say from inside.

"Nonsense. Come on in. You looking to make it to Atlanta?" the man asked. I nodded and he motioned for us to come inside. I looked around my group before entering the RV.

"Thank you sir," I said. "My names Josephine. This is Jim," I said motioning to the man who first helped me, "Carol, Ed, and their daughter Sophia," I said letting the little family in.

"Well I'm Dale," the old man said sitting back in the driver's seat and merging back into traffic. This is Andrea and her sister Amy." I nodded at the two women also in the RV. One was a little older than me and one was younger.

Atlanta was in sight when the RV needed to stop and refueled. Dale pulled over and Andrea helped him with the gas cans. I was sitting at the table playing cards with Sophia when I heard voices talking to Dale outside.

"The cities overrun. The best bet would be to set up camp up in those quarries," a voice said. I peeked out the window to see a latino man talking to Dale. There were other people there as well but I couldn't see them. "We've been up there and there is already a small group there. We've packed our things and are heading there now."

"I'll have to ask the rest of my group," Dale said. Andrea said something but Dale ignored her and came into the camper. He told us what this man, Morales, had told him. We all agreed to check it out and Dale followed the man up the path to the camp. The road was rough for the RV but we made it to the top of the hill. Morales and a black man directed Dale on where to park the RV. The group here consisted of about 10 people. There was Morales family of 4, the black man named T-Dog if I heard Morales correctly, a woman named Jacqui, two brothers named Merle and Daryl and the rest of the group was down in the bottom of the quarry.

I helped Dale set up the RV and set up a spot for me to camp out under the awning. Dale argued that wasn't as safe as the RV or a tent but I didn't have a choice since the RV was overly full anyway.

Jim and Dale were working on the RV when a Jeep pulled up. A young asian boy jumped out first. Next a small boy and his mother while the driver took the Jeep to the side to park it. I nearly died when I saw them. I felt my heart come up my throat and my head started to spin. I was so shocked and speechless I couldn't move. Carl saw me first. He stopped and starred back at me for a second before tugging on Lori's sleave and pointing at me. She too a glance at me then a double take. Her jaw dropped. Carl started running towards me and I swept him up in my arms. Lori joined the embrace.

"Joey! I can't believe this! How did you find us?" Lori asked.

"I didn't really. I just came up here seeking refuge. This is unbelievable!" I said looking down at Carl.

"Dad's not here," he said. Carl was always blunt and honest.

"Carl!" Lori said pulling the boy back. "We tried but,"

"I understand," I said cutting her off. I heard another pair of boots walk up behind them and looked up to see none other than Shane Walsh. Lori saw him walk up and grabbed Carl taking him to their tent.

"How the hell," Shane started before grabbing me in a hug. "I thought for sure you were gone. When I heard about Savannah,"

"Shane! I'm here. I'm alive. Don't worry," I said smiling up at him. "My brother,"

"I tried to get him out Joey. I really did. Those walkers, they were everywhere. Military was shooting doctors in the hallway. Living people Joey," Shane said reaching up to push a strand of hair from my face.

"I'm glad I found you Shane."

"Yeah, me too," he said smiling. "Now do you have a tent? I'll help you set it up."

"Actually I don't. I was in a hurry when I left and just got things from my dorm. I was going to camp next to the RV," I said looking down now realizing how dumb that seemed.

"No way little Grimes," Shane said grabbing up my backpack. "You can stay with me until the next group goes out for supplies."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Yeah. Not like we've never slept in the same bed before," he said then paused and looked down as he thought about those times it was us and Rick.

"Guess there's no Rick here to run me off," I said trying to extinguish the awkwardness.

"Yeah. No Rick here to tell us we're sleeping to close," Shane said ducking into his tent.


	2. Chapter 2

It was later that week when the CB Radio started going off with a mans voice. This was a surprise because by now all that was on the radio was static. The interstate was bumper to bumper with nothing but empty cars. We feared there was no one left but us.

Amy was the first to reach the radio and picked up saying into the speaker that we could hear the man. Only he couldn't hear us. She tried to tell him where we were but the radio turned to static. Dale called Shane over and tried to get him to make it work. Shane dug his ax he'd been using into the stump next to the radio and picked up the speaker.

"Hello, hello? Is the person who called still on the air?" I could tell from the ton in his voice he didn't have much hope we would reach them. "This is officer Shane Walsh please respond." We all waited as the static continued. Shane laid the speaker down. "He's gone."

"There are others. Right? It's not just us now," Lori said.

"We knew that. That's why we left the CB on," Shane said. Shane and Lori had been acting weird to each other. I wondered what had gone on that I didn't know about. This started an argument between the two. Lori wanted to post signs on the interstate warning people away from the city and Shane thought it was a waste of time.

"I'll go, give me a vehicle," Lori said.

"I'll go with her," I volunteered. Shane only looked between the two of us and said no. Lori stomped off and Carl started to follow. Shane told him to stay with me and he followed Lori off to the tents. I watched them until they both disappeared into Lori's tent.

After a little while Carl said he was going to check on them. I agreed and followed him over to the tent area. I caught a glimpse of the two in the tent. What I saw I hoped was only a mistake of my vision.

"Mom?" Carl said approaching the tent. Shane walked out and told Carl to go on in the tent. Shane looked up and saw me standing there. He paused and a look of worry crossed his face almost assuring what I thought I saw was real.

"Can I help you?" he said returning to his cocky self.

"You should probably watch yourself Walsh. Think about my brother," I said then walked back to the others.

When I got there I saw Dale on top of the RV taking watch. I decided I would join him since the old man was relaxing to be around.

"Well hello Joey. Haven't spoken to you in a while," he said. It was true. Ever since we got here we'd been so busy setting up camp there had been little time for talk.

"I know. That's why I thought I'd join you," I said taking a seat beside him on the roof of the camper.

"So tell me about yourself Joey. How do you know Lori and Shane?" Dale asked.

"Lori is married to my brother, Carls dad. He was shot a few months ago and was in a coma when all this stuff started happening. I'm told they couldn't get him out."

"And Shane?"

"He was my brother, Ricks, best friend. I grew up with him," I said.

"He's a good leader. I hear he was a police officer," Dale said.

"Yeah. Him and my brother both. They were partners," I said smiling.

"And you? What did you do?"

"I was a college student. I'd just escaped from art school in Savannah when you guys picked us up."

Our conversation went on and Dale told me about his wife who died of cancer. We talked about the past and what was left of our possible future. Dale reminded me of my father who had died when I a teenager.

A group was gathered later that day to go into Atlanta and get supplies. We were running low on everything. Glenn, Andrea, T-Dog, Merle, Jacqui, and Morales were going to go. I volunteered to join them but Shane wouldn't let me saying he needed my help and we had to talk.

After the group had left Daryl went on a hunting trip, Dale took watch again and Amy went looking for edible mushrooms. Lori was attempting to make soup while Carl played in the dirt. I couldn't find Shane so I went off to explore the woods around us. I was still near the camp and could make it back if I found any walkers.

I hadn't been in the woods long when I heard branches snapping. They seemed to be all around me so I think I was just freaking out. I was about to go back to camp when a hand suddenly wrapped around my mouth and an arm grabbed me by the waist. I was shoved against a tree and when my head stopped spinning my eyes focused on Shane. I was screaming against his hand as he tried to shush me.

"Calm down. I think we just need to talk. I'm not gonna hurt you Joey," he said. He released me and I slapped him in the chest.

"What Shane? What do you want?" I asked.

"You're gonna tell me what you know," he said calmly.

"I know you're an ass," I spat. "My brother hasn't been gone a month and here you are doing something like this?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw you and Lori! I can't believe you would do something like this to him! You were his best friend Shane!"

"Okay okay! Shh. A lot's been going on since all this happened. I made some mistakes," he started.

"Well fix them!" I said stomping off. Before I got too far he grabbed me by the arm.

"I'd have never started any of that with Lori if I knew you were still alive," Shane said quietly.

"And if my brother were still alive?"

"You know I wouldn't."

"Fix it Shane," I said and left.

When I arrived back at the camp I started helping the women hang up the laundry. Amy was pacing and Dale and Jim were still working on the RV. Carl came up to me and asked if I would teach him how to draw. Since we didn't have any paper I told him we'd have to wait on that.

"Draw? How's that gonna help you out here kid? How bout I teach you how to tie some ropes?" Shane said walking into the camp. I glared up at him and continued hanging clothes. Carl agreed and Shane found a rope for them to practice with.

"They should've been back by now," Amy said nervously.

"They'll be alright. No sense in worrying," Dale said from the front of the RV.

I could hear Shane laughing and teaching Carl and looked up to see Lori smiling at the two. It made my blood boil to know she'd let my brother go so easily. I was almost done with my basket when the CB started going off. It was T-Dog on the other end. Dale picked up the speaker and spoke into it. T-Dog came back on but it was broken and full of static. All we heard was that they were stuck in a department store.

"They say they're trapped," Shane said clarifying.

"T-Dog repeat that," Dale said. We all stood around nervously as the feed turned into nothing but static.

"He said the department store," Lori said. I nodded and Dale agreed.

"Shane," I started but he stopped me.

"No way. We can't risk the rest of the group," Shane said firmly.

"So we're just going to leave her there?" Amy asked.

"You gotta understand. This is not easy," Shane said.

"She volunteered to go! To help the rest of us," Amy said refusing to drop the issue.

"I know," Shane said calmly. "She knew the risks right? So she's trapped. She's gone. There's nothing we can do."

"She's my sister! You son of a bitch!" Amy said and ran off.

Shane then looked to Lori for her support she nodded and turned to go after Amy. He then looked to me. I stared back at him knowing he just broke that girls heart. I shook my head and took Carl inside before the rain fell from the threatening clouds.


	3. Chapter 3

After the rain had passed I took Carl out and found Lori who decided she was going to give Carl a haircut. We sat around a fire pit and Loir snipped at his hair while I told him a story from college. Shane joined us soon after and took a seat next to me to clean his gun. I stayed in my spot and ignored him.

"Stop moving," Lori told Carl.

"You think that's bad, wait until you start shavin," Shane told Carl. "You'll be wishing for one of your momma's haircuts."

"I'll believe that when I see it," Carl said and I laughed at the boy.

"Tell you what, get through this with some manly dignity and tomorra, I'll teach ya something special," Shane said making Carl's face light up. I had to admit Shane would've made a good dad if he ever would've had the chance. But I still didn't like him trying to take my brothers place as Carl's. "I'll teach you to catch frogs."

"I've caught a frog," Carl said proudly.

"I said frogs. Plural. It is an art my friend. It is not to be taken lightly," Shane said and smiled over at me. I just looked back to Carl. "There are ways and means few know about. Well, I'm willing to share my secrets." Carl looked up at me.

"That was a secret your dad and Shane didn't let me in on," I said.

"One time opportunity," Shane said.

"Why do we need frogs? Plural?" Carl asked.

"Ever eat frog legs?" Shane said. I smiled knowing Rick and Shane never caught enough frogs to make frog legs.

"Ew!" Carl said disgusted.

"No yum!" Shane said.

"No he's right. Ew," Lori said. Shane and I laughed.

"We get down to that last can of beans you're gonna be lovin those frog legs ladies," Shane said throwing an arm over my shoulder. My smile dropped from my face. Shane then proceeded to mock us on what we would sound like begging for his food.

"I doubt that," I said not being able to contain a smile.

"Don't listen to 'em man. We'll be hero's," Shane said to Carl.

About the time this got out of Shane's mouth a siren could be heard in the distance. We all stood and ran to the edge of the camp to see what it was.

"Talk to me Dale!" Shane yelled up to the man with the binoculars.

"Look's like a stolen car," Dale said lowering his binoculars. I stood next to Shane as the red Challenger made it way to the camp. Glenn stepped out of the car with a huge smile on his face. "Turn that damn thing off!"

"I don't know how!" Glenn said throwing his hands up.

"Pop the hood," Shane said trying to talk over Amy who was freaking out asking for Andrea. Glenn popped the hood for Shane then yelled at Amy telling her Andrea was okay. Shane disconnected the battery shutting off the alarm.

"You crazy drivin this thing up here? You trying to draw in every walker for miles?" Shane said irritated.

"Shane calm down," I said setting a hand on his shoulder. "So everyone's alright?"

"Yeah. Everyones fine. Well except Merle," Glenn said but no one paid attention because a white supply truck was driving up behind the red car.

Andrea was the first to come into view running towards Amy. Slowly the rest of the group walked into camp reuniting with their families.

"Don't be so hard on everybody," I said to Shane. He whipped his head around at me and looked at me with fierce eyes. "We're all trying to live here."

"I'm just trying to protect everyone. Protect you," he said bringing his hand up to my cheek. I hated to admit it but it was relaxing to have my old friend there for me. Even if he was forgetting his place.

"I know," I said looking down and he pulled me into a hug.

"How'd y'all get outta there anyway?" Shane asked spinning me around to the group with his arm around me.

"New guy. Just showed up," Morales said then turned back to the truck and told the man to come introduce himself. From behind the truck door two cowboy boots hit the dirt. When the door closed I knew for sure I must be dreaming. My brother was alive.

Rick looked up and saw me and Shane first. Shane's arm dropped from around me and he took a step back in shock. Rick's eyes then landed on his wife and son and he reached his arm out before taking a breath and running towards the two. Carl ran towards Rick and the two embraced. Rick picked his son up and headed towards his wife who had a look of shock and fear on her face. The family hugged while the camp looked on confused. Lori looked up at Shane who smiled at them and looked down at me. When I looked back up at the family I saw Rick looking at me and Shane. He smiled at me and opened his arm for me to join the hug. By the time we broke apart the camp had dispersed. I looked up in time to see Shane disappear into our tent. I decided to go check on him.

"Shane?"

"Hey sweet cheeks," he said as he cleared off his side of the mattress.

"Aren't you going to talk to Rick?" I asked.

"He needs time to visit his family. Why aren't you there?" he asked looking up at me.

"I came to check on you."

"Well I'm great," Shane said collapsing on the bed.

"Alright," I said picking up his shirt he had discarded. "I'll be outside."


	4. Chapter 4

Later that night we all sat around the campfire as Rick told us the story of how he survived escaping the hospital and finding us. I sat beside Shane who stared into the fire with a blank stare. Rick sat across from us with Carl and Lori wrapped in his arms. I knew this hurt Shane.

"Mom said you were dead," Carl said.

"And she had every right to believe that," Rick reassured his son.

"They said they were going to move you and the other patients to Atlanta. It just never happened," Lori said.

"After Atlanta was taken over I'm not surprised. That hospital was covered up anyway," Rick said.

"Saw it first hand," Shane said finally looking up.

"And I can't thank you enough for getting my family out and to safety. I owe you," Rick said across the fire.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Ed put a log into the fire his family sat around. It was against the rules to do so on account of walkers seeing the flames. Shane noticed this too.

"You wanna rethink that log Ed?" he said calmly from his spot next to me.

"It's cold," was all Ed said. It's true. It was a cold night. Most had extra blankets wrapped around them and huddled close to each other for extra warmth. I was no exception. I had a blanket around me and Shane's jacket that he insisted I wear after I scooted closer to him as the temperature dropped.

"You know the rules. We keep our fires low so we can't be seen from a distance," Shane said a little more sternly.

"Why don't you mind your own business for once?" Ed said. Shane had lost his patience and stood to walk over to Ed.

"Shane!" I said grabbing his hand but he brushed it off and walked over to Ed. I couldn't hear what was being said but Shane must have been intimidating standing over Ed because Ed gave in and told Carol to remove the log. Once she had, Shane knelt beside her and Sophia and said something to them.

When he returned to his spot next to me the conversation turned to Merle and how his brother Daryl would react to finding out he was left behind. I zoned out and focused more on Shane's arm around my shoulder and the glowing embers in front of me. It's not that I didn't like Daryl it's just his brother was a handful.

After the fires had been extinguished and everyone had retreated to their tents I sat alone in my spot by the burned down logs and thought through all that had happened over the past week. I had survived the end of the world so far, my brother had all but risen from the dead, and all that I knew was gone.

"A bit cold out here don't ya think?" I heard Shane's voice from behind me. "Why don't you come back inside and warm up and little bit? Get some sleep?"

I looked over at him as he knelt down beside me. He had changed so much over the past week. His eyes were tired, and he had a rough five o'clock shadow. His clothes were ragged and it looked like he'd lost a few pounds. I knew I must've looked rough.

"I just needed some time alone. But I think I'll come inside now," I said standing up and walking in the tent. Shane followed zipping up the cloth flap to the tent. I unwrapped the blanket from around me and added it to the bed and took Shane's jacket off to hang on a metal fold up chair. Shane had stripped to his boxers and was getting in the bed. I took off my tight jeans and joined him.

It was cold but I refused to scoot closer to Shane. This wouldn't have seemed like such a problem before but after seeing him with my brother's wife I couldn't look at him the same as I did before this all happened.

"You can't sleep can ya?" I heard Shane whisper.

"No. Too much has gone on to think about," I said without turning to face him.

"I know. We'll never go on another vacation. Never have another night out on the town like we used to. We'll never pull anymore pranks on old Mrs. Jenkins again. We may never sleep knowing we're safe again," Shane said like he was talking to himself.

"Thanks for making me depressed," I said rolling over to face him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to trouble you," Shane said quietly after realizing he upset me. "I was really just saying it out loud in hopes that I could come to grips with it."

"It's okay. I know what you mean though. Used to my biggest worry was passing my finals and finding a job. Now it's surviving. I used to think I'd get a job teaching somewhere, get married, have a kid, and die old. None of that is possible now," I said staring at the top of the tent.

"You don't know that. I don't really see a big call for an art teacher right now but you could still have a kid and we may even live to be 90," Shane said making me face him.

"You know none of that is likely. This group may be the only people left alive."

"Well as far as I'm concerned we're all you need. You've got people here who love you. You saying you couldn't grow old with us?" Shane said and I could see his sideways smile even in the dark. "Besides, if I remember correctly I do believe an 8 year old Joey once told me she was going to marry me one day."

"I'm pretty sure when I was eight I didn't think zombies would overtake the world either," I said smiling back at him.

"Yeah. To think we always thought it'd be aliens," Shane said wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me up next to him. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you though. Now go to sleep."

And I did. My sleep was peaceful that night. I dreamed of my childhood and home. Rick and Shane telling me ridiculous stories when I was little and believing them. The time they locked me in the bathroom for two hours until mom finally found me. High school with the two of them shoving boys into garbage cans if they looked at me wrong. Prom with Shane, Lori and Ricks wedding, the first time I held Carl. All of these things were memories I'd hold onto to keep sane.

The next morning when I woke up Shane was gone. I put on some clothes and took the laundry down to the bottom of the quarry to wash them with the rest of the women. On our way back up to camp we passed Shane who was going to fetch water. I left my basket with Lori and went to help him.

"Sleep good?" Shane asked as he lifted the containers from the back of the jeep.

"Like a baby. You?" I asked dunking a container under water to fill it.

"Like the dead," he said handing me another.

"These days that's not so good," I said handing him the filled container. He chuckled as he set it in the back of the jeep.

"Well then I slept perfect. Most peaceful sleep I've had in a while."

Once that chore was done we took the jeep back to camp where Shane reminded everyone to boil the water before using it. As I stepped out of the jeep I heard a child scream from the woods. My first thought was of Carl and I took off following Shane and Rick towards the noise.

Carl and Sophia came running up to us and to their parents. The men all rushed passed us to where the children had come from. I watched them go but knew I shouldn't follow. We took the kids back to the camp and tried to calm them down.

"Merle?" I heard a voice say. I looked up to see that Daryl had returned from his hunting trip. He had a string of squirrels draped around his neck and his crossbow over his shoulder. The rest of the men followed behind him. Shane stopped Daryl at the edge of camp and I knew they were going to talk about Merle. I took the kids into the camper because I knew it would get rough.

I could hear yelling and looked out the window in time to see Shane tackle Daryl to the ground. They only wrestle for a second before both were on their feet again and Daryl had a knife pulled. I gasped and pushed the kids back from the windows. When I looked back out Shane had Daryl in a choke hold while Rick knelt next to them talking to Daryl.

After it looked like everything had calmed down I let the kids out and went back to doing laundry. Lori told me Rick planned to go back to Atlanta to retrieve Merle. Rick gathered a group to join him and another argument broke out between him and Shane. I didn't want my brother to go back to the city but I knew there was no convincing him. Shane knew too.

Before Rick and his group left Shane stopped him and gave him the bullets he had left in his bag. He stood and watched the truck leave. When it was finally out of sight he went to our tent. I followed.

"You think he'll make it back?" I asked worried.

"Well he did it once," Shane said grabbing a bucket from the corner of the tent. I nodded and looked down at my feet. "Cheer up Joey. I'm going to teach Carl how to catch frogs. Wanna come along?"

"I gotta help with laundry. Catch enough for me though," I said and left the tent.

Shane arrived with Carl at the bottom of the quarry a little after I did. My hands were numb from scrubbing on the washboard but Shane's shirt was starting to return to its original color. I looked across the pond to see Shane staring at me with a bucket tucked under his arm. Carl said something to him and he returned his attention back to the young boy.

I heard a lot of splashing and looked up to see Shane knee deep in water and soaked head to toe. He was splashing water towards Carl while Carl held a net in the water and laughed at how ridiculous Shane looked. I couldn't help but laugh too.

"Can someone explain to me how we ended up doing all the work?" Jacqui asked looking across at the two.

"They're just having some fun," I said rolling my eyes.

"No time for fun," Carol said.

"The world ended didn't you get the memo," Amy said. I ignored the bunch of moody women and watched two of the most important people in my life instead. The subject changed to things we missed back before the world went to hell. Carol missed her washer, Jacqui missed her coffee maker, Amy missed her computer and texting, and Andrea missed her vibrator and Carol agreed. We all laughed at this putting everyone in a better mood.

"What's so funny?" Ed said coming over from his spot in the shade. He had a cigarette in his hand and looked irritated at the fact that his wife was having fun.

"Just swapping war stories Ed," Andrea said. Ed continued to walk over to us. I rolled my eyes and rung out the shirt I was washing.

"Problem Ed?" I asked looking up at the man.

"None that concerns you," he said angering me further. "You need to focus on your work. This ain't no comedy club."

Andrea huffed at this in shock and I stood to be eye level with the man. He took a puff from his cigarette and blew the smoke in my face.

"I'm sure Dale needs some help back at camp. You know, doing work," I said looking the fat man up and down.

"Tell you what you don't like the way we're doing your laundry, do it yourself," Andrea said throwing a wet shirt at Ed. Ed tossed it back hitting her in the face. Andrea yelped in surprise and my first instinct was to shove Ed away.

"Hey don't think I won't know you on your ass just cause you're some college educated bitch," Ed said stepping towards me.

"Now come on Carol," Ed said making his wife get up to follow him.

"So she can show up with fresh bruises Ed?" Jacqui said.

"Just go on Ed," I said strictly.

"You don't tell me what to do!" Ed said raising his hand and slapping me across the face splitting my lip open. By the time my head had leveled out and my eyes had focused Shane was dragging Ed away. He threw Ed down on the dirt and started beating his face in. I let Shane continue until Ed's face was red with blood and swollen over his eyes.

"Shane! Stop! That's enough," I said pulling on his arm. He shrugged me off and pulled Ed to him by the collar pointing a finger in his face.

"You put your hand to Joey, your wife, your child, or anyone in this camp one more time I will not stop next time," he said grabbing Ed's swollen face. "Do you hear me? Do you hear me? I'll beat you to death Ed," and he took one last swing at his face before standing and leaving the beaten man to his wife. Shane looked up at me before walking back up the path to camp. I stayed for a minute longer to make sure Carol was going to be okay and followed him.

"Shane?" I looked around the camp but couldn't find him. Finally I peeked in our tent and saw him laying with his hands over his eyes. He'd wiped the blood off by now. "Shane?"

He looked up at me and grabbed a clean cloth next to him and dunked it in a bowl of water. He patted the mattress next to him and I sat down. He grabbed my face and gently wiped the blood off that had dripped from my lip.

"Bastard ever touches you again you come tell me. It'll be the death of him," Shane said focusing on the cut.

"I'm going to be fine Shane. You put him in a lot worse shape than he put me," I said smiling at him. Shane's eyes traveled from my lips up to my eyes and back down. He lowered the rag and leaned in towards me. I'm not sure if I was still loopy from the hit or the heat but I didn't realize what was happening until he was kissing me. When we broke apart I'm sure I must've looked at shocked as I did the first time I saw a walker. Shane only looked pleased. He had a small smile on his face and his eyes seemed to relax.

"Never thought I'd get the chance to do that," Shane said.

"So you choose to do it at the end of the world?"

"Better late than never right?" He still wore that sideways smirk and he knew I couldn't resist it.

"I still haven't forgiven you for Lori. But you're getting there," I said leaving the tent and Shane to his thoughts.


	5. Chapter 5

I was playing tick tack toe in the sand with Carl when Andrea and Amy came walking up the trail with a string of about 20 fish. Morales agreed to cook them and Lori agreed to let the girls teach Carl how to fish.

"Guys I don't mean to alarm anyone but I think we have a situation on our hands," Dale said coming up to our group. Shane stood from his spot under the awning and walked over to Dale who pointed off at the top of a hill where the body of a man was visible. It looked like Jim and he was digging something.

We all followed Dale and Shane up to the top of the hill where Jim had already dug several holes. He was drenched in sweat and covered in dirt. It was a good 100 degrees outside and the man would die if he kept this up. Shane stood watching the man for a moment trying to think of a plan to get him to stop.

"Hey Jim?" he finally said. Jim didn't stop digging or even acknowledge that we were there. "Why don't you just hold up and listen to me here? Please?"

"What do you want?" Jim said finally stopping.

"Just a little concerned man. That's all," Shane said calmly.

"Dale says you've been out here for hours," Morales said.

"So?" was all Jim said.

"So why you digging?" Shane asked. "You heading to China? Jim?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm not hurting anyone," Jim said and continued digging.

"Nah except maybe yourself. It's a hundred degrees today," Dale chimed in. "You can't keep this up."

"Sure I can. Watch me."

"Jim you're scaring people," Lori said from the back. "You're scaring the kids."

"They got nothing to be scared of," Jim said clearly out of breath. "Why don't y'all just go and leave me the hell alone?"

Shane continued to talk to Jim calmly trying to get the man to give the digging a break for a little while. Shane even offered to help him if he would just tell him his reasons for digging. Jim refused to give up his shovel and asked what Shane would do if he refused to stop.

"You gonna pelt my face in like you did Ed? You all seen his face huh?" Jim asked the group. I could see this made Shane mad. But he kept his cool and went to grab Jim's shovel carefully. Jim jerked it back and started swinging it at Shane. Shane ducked and tackled Jim to the ground.

"Hey Jim. No one is going to hurt you," Shane said cuffing Jim's hands behind his back. "Just calm down."

"That's a lie. That's the biggest lie there is. I said it to my wife and kids a hundred times. But it didn't matter," Jim was rambling now but we all listened. "They came out of nowhere. The only reason I got away is because the dead were too busy eating my family."

I stood shocked at this revelation. Jim had stopped struggling and now lay cuffed on the ground with his face in the dirt. Shane sighed and got Morales to help him take Jim to a tree where they tied him up for the time being.

"Shane. That's awful. That man watched his family get eaten," I said when Shane walked in our tent where I was sitting.

"Doesn't give him a right to scare everyone else. We've all lost people."

"But imagine your own child. Imagine Carl," I said staring at the wall of the tent. Shane took a knee in front of me and grabbed my hands.

"Nothing is going to happen to Carl. Or you. Or anyone else here."

"You can't promise that though," I said.

"I can try," Shane stood and left saying something about going to talk to Jim.

That night we had a feast. The others weren't back yet and we were all worried but the fish fry helped keep our minds off of it. I swear it was the best fish I'd ever eaten. But then again I hadn't had a real meal in over a week. We were all finishing up our fish when Dale went into a speech about how time is still important and why he still whines his watch everyday. Amy left to go into the RV and fear overtook us all when we heard her scream from the doorway. I turned in time to see the walker let go of her arm with a chunk of her flesh in its teeth. Other walkers were swarming the camp. Survivors started fleeing our spot from around the fire to find safety.

"Get down!" I heard Shane yell as he lifted his gun and started to bring down the walkers. I found Lori and Carl in the ruckus and got behind Shane who was yelling at us to stay close. Lori was yelling asking Shane what to do and Carl was clinging to his mother's leg with fear. I picked up a limb and knocked a walker across the head with it. It's head busted open splattering me with its infected blood. I continued to do this two more times to walkers who came at us from behind.

Shane came to stand next to me and pushed me towards the RV. We were almost to the camper when shots were heard from the edge of camp. I looked up to see my brother and Glenn entering camp with guns drawn. I saw Carl break from Lori and run towards his father. By now the walkers had been slain. I looked around at our casualties. We'd lost too many.

Ed's body was now a pulpy mess on the floor of a tent, the dead lay everywhere and Amy was soon to join them. Andrea sat over her sister as she took her last breath. I couldn't watch. This was all too much for me. I'd gotten close to these people and watched them die.

Andrea started screaming for Amy and Carl started to cry into his moms stomach. I turned back towards Shane who turned to look at the carnage behind us.

I wanted to retreat to my tent. To get away from on the death around me. But frankly I was afraid. Afraid a walker would be there. That one had strayed from the group and we had missed it. I refused to go without Shane there with me. I knew it was childish but after seeing them eat the people I'd come to know as family I couldn't.

"Let's go get you cleaned up," Shane said as he laid a hand on my shoulder causing me to jump. I nodded and following him into the tent where he ordered me to change into frsh clothes. He then took a cloth and submerged it into water and made me sit on the mattress much like after Ed slapped me.

"It's not safe here anymore is it?" I asked slowly. I wasn't sure if maybe I was in shock or if the words I thought I said were even out loud.

"Never really was. Just safer than most," he said carefully cleaning my fingers.

"We're all doomed. Just fighting to live another day in hell really."

"Don't you say that!" Shane said throwing down the rag and pointing a finger at me. "We will make it through this. It'll be hard but we will make it."

Shane then picked up the cloth again and continued to clean my other hand. When he was done he stripped from his clothes and washed the sweat from himself. He then joined me and pulled me close to him as if a walker would pull me away right then.


	6. Chapter 6

The next morning the men were stacking the bodies of the dead to be burned. Andrea still sat beside Amy where I assumed she'd been all night. Daryl was going around with a pick ax driving it into the heads of the walkers to make sure they were dead. It was a gruesome scene.

I took a seat next to Shane who was contemplating with Dale and Rick on what to do about Andrea. Rick walked over to tell her we needed to deal with Amy before something bad happened and she pulled a gun on him before he had time to say anything. I jumped out of my seat but Shane put a hand on my arm sitting me back down.

Rick walked back over to us and Daryl joined him. Daryl mentioned shooting Amy from here and Lori was horrified by the thought. Daryl then went on another rampage about how we left his brother and we deserved what we got. I had just taken a seat next to Shane who was dirty again already when Jacqui started yelling about Jim being biten. Shane stood and walked over to the group that had circled around Jim.

"Show it to us!" Daryl demanded. Jim grabbed a shovel and started swinging it at anyone who came close.

"Put that down!" Shane said while T-Dog grabbed Jim from behind causing him to drop the shovel. Daryl grabbed his shirt lifting it up and revealing a bite mark on his ribs. Daryl and T-Dog both let go disgusted while Jim kept repeated that he was fine. We all stared at him afraid that the man had finally gone crazy. Not only that but he would be a walker soon.

A group was formed to decide what would be done about Jim. I wanted no part in it so I volunteered to watch the kids and watched the meeting take place from a distance. I gasped when Daryl started running towards Jim with his pick ax raised. He stopped when he heard the click of Rick's gun against his head. Shane then stepped between Daryl and Jim. After a small discussion Daryl surrendered his pick ax and Rick took Jim into the RV where he would be safe. Shane came up to me after Lori and Carol had relieved me of my babysitting duty.

"Rick wants to go to the CDC," he said taking a seat on the stump next to me.

"And?" I asked.

"I dunno. He thinks they may have a cure for Jim but I think it'll be too late by the time we get there."

"Shouldn't we go anyway? If there's a cure there it's gotta be safe there," I said desperately hoping to be saved from all of this.

"I don't know Joey. I hope so," he said wrapping his arm around my shoulder and kissing my temple. I looked up to see Rick walking out of the RV. He had noticed the exchange. I ignored it for the time being knowing there were bigger things to worry about.

Things such as Carol going crazy with Daryl's pick ax and driving it into Ed's skull multiple time. Or the fact that Amy had just reanimated and was about to eat her sister's face off. Shane and Rick started to move towards the two sisters but by the time Shane had drawn his gun Andrea had already sent a bullet into her sister's head.

Later that day Shane and Rick went to start digging the graves for our people who had been killed while T-Dog and Daryl loaded them into the truck. I walked up the hill to where the graves were to hear Rick and Shane talking. The argument started out with the two of them trying to place the blame on each other. It broke my heart to hear them argue.

"And what the hell is going on between you and Joey?" I heard Rick say and stopped in my tracks to listen longer.

"That shouldn't be a concern right now Rick," Shane said as he continued digging.

"Well it is Shane! That's my baby sister and it's hard enough having to keep the dead from hurting her much less you."

"You've been keeping the dead from hurting her? Rick I've lost sleep worrying about her. I watch her all I can to make sure one doesn't come up behind her. I've saved her countless times already!"

"Just watch yourself Walsh," Rick said when the sound of a truck could be heard behind me. I continued up the hill and arrived at the same time Daryl did with the truck of bodies.

Once the bodies were buried after a sad service we headed back to camp. Rick asked me to watch Carl while him and Lori had a talk.

"I need you to help me talk some sense into Rick," Shane said coming up to me. "This CDC thing is a mistake." I sighed and stood to leave confused of what to do. "And you're backing him?"

"He's my brother Shane. What else am I supposed to do?"

"Help me out? What am I to you? Just some guy you once knew? I thought there was more?"

"If you're doing this just to get me to side with you then stop it," I said and saw Rick walk up out of the corner of my eye.

"Stop what?" Rick asked looking at Shane.

"I think we should stay here," Shane said changing the subject. "Hang some more tin cans so we can hear 'em coming." Rick looked to me.

"I trust your gut Rick," I said clearly disappointing Shane.

"Let's go do our sweep," Shane said to Rick and the two walked off into the woods.

When they returned from their sweep the both of them came over to the fire where we all sat. Rick took a seat next to Lori and Shane stood up in front of everyone.

"I've been thinking about Rick's plan. Now there are no guarantees. I'll be the first to admit that. But, I've known this man a long time," Shane said looking across the fire at Rick. "I trust his instincts. I think the most important thing is we need to stay together. So those of you who agree, we leave first thing in the morning." Shane looked at me now and I nodded in return. Shane walked off and I followed him. I could practically feel Rick's eyes burning into my back.

"What happened to change your mind Shane?" I asked after we were out of earshot from everyone at our tent.

"Rick said something to me in the woods. Got me thinking," Shane said looking down at his hands.

"What?"

"He said I would understand his motive if I had a family to take care of. Only I thought I did," Shane's eyes met mine now. "I consider all of you to be family. And I realize if I'm going to keep it that way I can't split us up."

"Thank you," I said and wrapped my arms around his waist burying my face into his chest. All I can say about that night is that Rick would have been very disappointed in us both.


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning we all stood around the vehicles while Shane gave everyone the rules we would use on the road since we would all be in separate vehicles.

"Any questions?" Shane asked when he was done.

"We're, uh," Morales started and we all turned to face him. "We're not going."

"We have family in Birmingham," his wife said.

"You won't have anyone to watch your back," Shane warned.

"We'll take the chance. I gotta do what's best for my family," Morales said proudly. I would miss him.

"Alright. Shane," Rick said nodding to Shane who nodded back. Rick reached in the gun bag and pulled out a pistol and Shane grabbed a box of ammo. They handed them to Morales and wished him luck. I went and said my goodbyes to the family knowing it was the last time I'd ever see them.

"Let's move out," Shane said.

I rode with Shane in the jeep. Rick, Lori, Carl, Carol, and Sophia all rode in a van. Daryl was in a truck with his motorcycle in the back. Glenn, Dale, Jim, and Jacqui were in the RV and T-Dog and Andrea were in a truck. It was one of the saddest moments of my life when we pulled onto the road and Morales and his family drove off in the opposite direction.

"Hey. Don't cry now. We're going to be ok," Shane said rubbing my leg. I grabbed his hand and nodded fiercely trying to make the tears disappear.

We'd been traveling for about an hour when the RV broke down. The hose blew out again. Rick asked Dale if he could fix it with what he had but Dale assured he'd done all he could.

"I see something up ahead," Shane said looking through the binoculars. "A gas station if we're lucky."

"Guys it's Jim!" Jacqui said running out of the RV. "He's bad."

"Hey Rick wanna hold down the fort? I'll drive ahead and see what I can bring back," Shane said nodding to the structure up ahead.

"Yeah. I'll check on Jim," Rick said walking off. I followed Shane to the Jeep.

"What do you think you're doing?" he asked when I got in the passenger seat.

"Coming with you. Someone has to have your back," I said pulling out my gun.

"Can you use that?" Shane asked raising an eyebrow.

"Oh please! I had Rick Grimes as a brother and Shane Walsh as a best friend growing up. Of course I do."

"Alright. Just don't get killed," Shane said putting the jeep in drive and riding off. "I'm serious now. Be careful. If something happened to you,"

"Shane! I'll be fine," I said and leaned over to kiss him on the cheek.

"Promise?" he said with puppy dog eyes.

"Never."

The building was a gas station. I had no idea what I was looking for so I just Shane with my gun drawn. He looked through the shelves until he came upon the part we needed.

"That it?" I asked.

"Yeah. Didn't take so long," Shane said looking up at me. "Wanna have a quicky?"

"Shane! No! We need to go!" I said blushing.

"Alright. Fine," Shane said kissing my forehead and heading back out to the jeep.

When we arrived back at the camp Rick told us that Jim had decided he wanted to stay behind. Rick said he seemed sane and he was adamant about his decision.

"Just leave him here? Take off?" Shane asked. "Man I'm not sure I could live with that."

"It's not your call," I said looking up at Shane and Rick who were now looking at me curious. "Jim's made his decision."

They both carefully helped Jim out of the RV and leaned him against a tree in the shade. We all lined up for our goodbyes. Shane was the first. I could tell by the way he spoke to the man he didn't want to leave him behind to die and become one of them. And I knew that was one of the reason's I loved Shane Walsh so much.

When it was my turn to say goodbye I almost couldn't stop my tears from coming when I looked at the man's face.

"Jim? I just want to thank you. For helping me get my car off the road," I said and we both laughed a little. "If it wasn't for you I know I wouldn't be here. You helped me and saved me. We're going to miss you." He nodded at me and I left heading straight to the jeep. When we passed by Jim I couldn't look at him.

The drive to the CDC was long and quiet. The wind was getting cold in the open jeep but that seemed so minimal compared to everything else. Shane started talking to me to cheer me up after a while.

"Tell you what. Once we get to the CDC and everything's back to the way it was we can get Carl and Sophia started on your art lessons. We can tell Rick about us and start a normal life," Shane said smiling at me. "Just like you wanted."

"You know it'll never be back to the way it was. The world we knew is dead. Literally."

"Well we can at least try Joey. You can't give up. Not when we've made it this far."

"This far? Where is this far? We've found nothing. No hope!"

"It could be worse Joey! You could be alone in this. At least you have your brother! Your nephew! You've got me Joey! Doesn't that count for something?" I nodded.

"Yeah. I still don't want to tell Rick about us. He's got a lot on his mind."

"Alright. We don't have to," Shane said.

When we arrived at the CDC the sun was setting. The huge metal building was surrounded by tanks and barricades the army had set up. Only the army was long gone. The bodies of the soldiers were laid over sand bags and half eaten on the ground. Dead walkers were everywhere. We all exited our vehicles and quietly made our way through the stench of death to the CDC. Flies covered the bodies and members of our group gagged and coughed. Rick led us to the door and kept pressing the button to speak to someone inside.

"There's nobody here," T-Dog said. I completely believed that. It didn't look like anyone was still alive.

"Walkers!" Daryl yelled and everyone readied their guns. Daryl took down the walker and turned to Rick telling him he made a mistake bringing us here. He stomped towards Rick but Shane interfered pushing him back and telling him to shut up.

"Rick this is a dead end," Shane said.

"He's right. We can't be here this close to the city after dark," Lori said with a panicky voice. "We need answers now!"

"We'll think of something," Rick said trying to stay calm. Everyone started to hurry back to the vehicles. I stood staring at my brother wondering if he would follow. Shane started to pull me back when Rick yelled out.

"The camera! It moved!" Rick moved closer to the camera staring at it. I wondered if my brother had lost it.

"Rick it's an automated device," Shane said approaching Rick. Shane tried to pull Rick back but Rick fought with him and started banging on the doors begging the person inside to let us in. I know Rick was scaring the children because he was scaring me too. Shane started telling everyone to head back to the vehicles.

"Joey! We have to get somewhere safe!" Shane said pulling me away from my brother.

"No! Shane stop! We can't leave Rick!"

"Keep your eyes open for walkers!" Shane yelled to the group who had stopped to wait on us.

After Shane realized he couldn't get me to leave without my brother he grabbed Rick by the shoulders and started dragging him again. Just when Rick had given in and Shane let go of him the doors behind us open. We all stood shocked that there was hope.


	8. Chapter 8

We all walked in the open doors with our guns drawn. I followed closely behind Shane. We all stopped in the lobby and looked around the huge empty room.

"Hello?" Rick asked. We heard a gun cock and we all spun around to see a man standing in a hallway with a gun pointed at us.

"Anybody infected?" he asked.

"One of our group was," Rick said. "He didn't make it."

"Who are you and what do you want?" the man asked.

"A chance."

"That's asking an awful lot these days."

"I know," Rick said nodding. The man looked around our group at all of us.

"I'll need to run some blood test. That's the price of admission."

"We can do that," Rick agreed. My hopes began to rise.

"The stuff you need to bring in bring it now. Once that door closes it stays closed," the man said lowering his gun. Rick nodded and we all ran out to get the things we'd need to stay here. Once back inside we all took an awkward elevator ride with this man underground.

"Where is everybody?" Rick asked. "The doctors? The staff?"

"I'm it," the man who I learned was named Doctor Jenner. "It's just me here."

After introduction Doctor Jenner took us all back for a blood sample. I made Shane stay in the room with me while I had my blood drawn. Not only did I not completely trust this Jenner man but I was also squeamish. When I stood I went dizzy and nearly fell out.

"You okay?" Jenner asked as Shane helped me to a chair.

"She hasn't eaten in days. None of us have," Shane replied.

"Well I might be able to help with that," Jenner said.

That night there was a feast. And not on unseasoned fish or gamey squirrel. We had real food. And wine. Lots of wine. Rick and Lori even let Carl try some. His face immediately scrunched up at the terrible taste. This made us all laugh. He was obviously like me in that way. I hated alcohol.

"Stick to coke there bud," Shane said grinning at the boy. "Like your aunt here."

"Hey!" I responded.

"Why don't you drink Joey?" Daryl asked.

"I don't wanna act a fool like you dimwits," I said grinning. This sent everyone laughing again but I think that was because of the alcohol. Rick tapped his spoon against his glass getting our attention.

"Seems to me we haven't thanked our host properly," he said looking to Jenner.

"He is more than just our host," T-Dog said raising his glass. We all followed suit. I looked up at Shane who wasn't smiling but looking down at his glass in deep thought.

"So when you going to tell us what the hell happened here Doc?" he asked looking up at Jenner. "The other doctors? Who are supposed to figuring out what's happing. Where are they?"

"Shane. No need to do this now," Rick said quietly.

"Nah. That's why we're here right? This was your move. So we could find all the answers. Instead we found him," Shane said pointing his thumb to Jenner who looked at him dumbfounded.

"Shane," I started but he ignored me.

"We found one man. Why?"

"Well when things got bad a lot of people just left. Went off to be with their families," Jenner said looking around at all of us. "Then when things got worse, the rest bolted."

"So you were the last one?" Shane asked.

"No," Jenner said to Shane sternly. "Many couldn't face walking out the door. They opted out. There was a rash of suicides. That was a bad time." Jenner's speech made everyone quiet.

"You didn't leave. Why?" Andrea asked.

"I just kept working. Hoping to do some good."

"Dude you are such a buzzkill, man," Glenn said to Shane from his spot in the back.

After dinner Jenner took us to where we would be staying. He told us about how the CDC still had electricity and warm water. Everyone was ecstatic about the news of hot water.

Shane had gone in the shower before me and after he'd been in there a while I decided to check on him. On my way I passed my brother in the hall and he was clearly drunk. I walked passed Rick and into the bathroom Shane was in. I walked in to see him standing under the water and taking a swig of wine right out of the bottle.

"Shane?" I asked opening the shower door further. Shane turned around in the shower lowering the wine bottle to look at me.

"What? What do you want now?" Shane said looking at me with disgust.

"I want you to put that bottle down and come to bed."

"How can you do this to me?" he said with a slurred voice.

"What? Do what?" I asked confused.

"I've loved you since I could remember and now at the end of the world you won't even let me act on it?"

"You're drunk," I said and turned to leave.

"I know what I'm saying. I love you Joey," he said and tried to kiss me. I tried to push him away but he kept pulling me closer to him. By now I was soaked and kept slipping on the tile. "I saved your life Joey! I thought of nothing but you and I saved your life!"

"Stop it Shane!" I yelled trying to jerk away.

"I love you Joey! And I know you love me too. The things you've said. You love me," Shane said trying to kiss me but I kept putting my hand to his face to push him away from me. "I love you. I've loved you for ever."

He was trying to take my shirt off now and I couldn't get him to stop. So I scratched him across the face and fell out of the shower landing on my butt. I rushed to my feet and when I looked up at Shane he had a look of shock on his face. But I couldn't tell if he had sobered up and realized what he had done or was mad and was about to come at me again. So I ran. I ran down the hall and to the cot where I was going to sleep. I grabbed some clothes from my bag and locked myself into another bathroom. I cut the shower on and sat in it fully clothed and cried.

I didn't know what time it was when I finally stood up and took a shower but the hot water had run out. When I put my fresh clothes on and went outside everyone was asleep. I walked by a room to see Shane passed out on a couch. I walked on by to the next room where Andrea and Dale were staying and set up a cot in there.


	9. Chapter 9

When I woke up the next morning my tailbone was sore. But I slept. It wasn't the best sleep but at least I knew I was safe. I walked down to the kitchen to find everyone having breakfast. Poor Glenn was miserable with a hangover but T-Dog was serving up eggs and bacon. I took a seat next to Carl and thanked T-Dog for the plate he sat in front of me.

"Hey," I heard Rick say to someone and looked up to see Shane walk in. He didn't look at me or anyone else at the table. He just walked over and fixed him a plate. "You feel as bad as I do?"

"Worse," I heard Shane mumble. So he did remember last night.

"What the hell happened to you?" T-Dog asked Shane. "Your neck?" The scratch marks I had left on Shane were very visible in the light. Shane looked over at me then back to T-Dog.

"Must've done it in my sleep," Shane said.

"Never seen you do that before," Rick said.

"Me either. Not like me at all," he said and looked back up to me. I avoided his gaze and continued eating. I hope he felt like crap.

Jenner walked in and Dale questioned him about a cure. After breakfast he brought us into his presentation room and showed us an MRI of what happens to the brain after being bitten. We watched as the lighted brain slowly turned black and dead. Then after a while the brain stem started to glow again and the patient on the screen started to move. Suddenly a line shot through the brain.

"What was that?" Carol asked.

"He shot his patient," Andrea said.

"May I ask who that was?" I said quietly to the man.

"Test subject 19. Someone who was bitten. Infected. Then let us record the transformation," Jenner said with a sad tone in his voice. I had a feeling it was more than just test subject 19 to him.

"You have no idea what it is? Do you?" Andrea asked. Jenner named off all the possibilities that hadn't been ruled out. "Somebody has to know something."

"There are other's right?" Carol asked.

"There could be more," Jenner said unsure.

"You don't know? How could you not know?" Rick asked.

"I've been in the dark for almost a month," Jenner said.

"So it's not just here? There is nothing left anywhere? Nothing," Andrea said. Jenner said nothing.

"Doctor Jenner, I know this has been trying for you and I hate you ask one more question but," Dale said walking to the edge of the group. "That clock has been counting down. What happens at zero?"

"The basement generators run out of fuel," Jenner said but we knew that wasn't all.

"And then?" Rick asked.

"Total decontamination," Jenner said walking off.

Rick, Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog all rushed down to the basement where the generators were to see if they could find something out. While they were gone all the lights shut off and emergency lights cut on. Jenner came walking down the hall and we all followed him asking what was happening.

"CDC is shutting itself down," Jenner said calmly and kept walking.

"Hey? What does that mean?" Daryl said. We followed Jenner into the main room where Rick, Shane, Glenn, and T-Dog joined us.

"Jenner what's happening?" Rick said with the full intention of getting a real answer.

"The building is shutting down all the nonessential things such as lights to keep the computers going for as long as it can," Jenner said then turned to Andrea. "Go with the French."

"What?" she asked.

"They were the last to hold out as far as I know," he said to her. "They might've run out of power too. The world runs on fossil fuel. How stupid is that?"

"Let me tell you something," Shane said running up to Jenner. Rick pulled him back before he could do anything to him.

"Everybody, grab your things we're getting out of here. Now!" Rick yelled. I started to run towards our rooms when an alarm started to sound and I stopped in my tracks. The doors started to close around us soon we were boxed in the room.

"Did you just lock us in?" Glenn asked. "He just locked us in!"

I looked to Jenner who was talking into a screen recording himself and ignored us all. Carl was yelling for Lori and we were all on the verge of panic. Rick stood at a door trying to find a way out. Daryl started yelling and running towards Jenner.

"Shane!" Rick said yelling and pointing to Daryl. Shane grabbed Daryl before any harm could come to Jenner. "Jenner. Open that door now," Rick said stomping over to Jenner.

"There's no point," Jenner said. "The computer's control the doors. I can't open them. I told you! Once that front door closed it wasn't opening again."

Rick turned to face Shane hoping he would have an answer. Shane shook his head drawing a blank. The time was ticking down and I was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown.

"It's better this way," Jenner said to Rick.

"What is?" Rick said jerking back around to Jenner. "What happens in 28 minutes?"

Jenner ignored Rick and turned back to his computer. Rick nodded to Shane and Shane pushed Jenner around to Rick for him to give out an answer.

"Do you know what this place is? We have kept the public from very nasty stuff!" Jenner yelled into Shane's face and turned to Rick yelling about the things that were stored here. He turned to the group finally. "In the event of a disaster, a terrorist attack for example, HIT's are deployed keeping any organisms from getting out."

"HIT's?" Rick asked.

"Explosives. Larger than a nuclear explosion," Jenner said plainly. Carol started to break down, Rick, Lori and Carl hugged and Shane looked to me. I stared back at him begging him with my eyes to save me again.

"Set's the air on fire," Jenner said quietly. I kept my eyes on Shane who was walking towards me from across the room. "No pain. No grief." Shane reached me and pulled me into a hug. I cried into his should while he rubbed my back. I heard a crash and looked up to see Daryl yell at Jenner to open the door. Shane let go of me and grabbed an ax from the wall.

"Out of my way!" he yelled and slammed the ax into the door.

Daryl joined him but it was obvious this was doing no good. Shane gave up and came over to me and brought me over to the group in the middle.

"Didn't make a dent," he breathed.

"Those doors are designed to withstand a rocket launcher," Jenner informed him.

"Your head ain't!" Daryl yelled coming at Jenner with the ax. Rick and T-Dog managed to stop the crazed man.

"Last night you said to me, it was only a matter of time before everyone you loved was dead," Jenner said to Rick. Rick looked around at the group.

"What you really said that?" Shane asked.

"This is what takes us down," Jenner said. "This is our extinction of end."

Shane pulled me to him again and I could feel his chest jumping as he fought back the tears. I was crying enough for the both of us though.

"I think you're lying," I could hear Rick say distantly. "About there being no hope left. You stayed when the others bolted. Why?"

"Not because I wanted to," Jenner said and I lifted my head from Shane's shoulder to listen. "I made a promise. To her," he said pointing to the screen where we had watched the test subject transform. "My wife."

"She was your wife?" I asked quietly.

"She begged me to keep going. How could I say no? She was dying. It should've been me on that table. She could've done something about this."

"Your wife didn't have a choice. You do. That's all we want," Rick said.

"I told you top sides on lock down I can't open those," Jenner said walking towards a keypad and pushing in a number. A door opened and we all made our way towards it but stopped when Jenner stopped Rick to whisper something in his ear.

"Come on we got four minutes! Let's go!" Glenn yelled.

"Rick hurry!" I yelled to my brother from my place beside Shane.

Jenner released Rick and he started for the door but we stopped again when we heard Jacqui say she was staying. Shane had to pull T-Dog away from her and we all ran out before he changed his mind. Shane had me by the hand as he sprinted for the door. When we reached the front door we were all stopped when we realized they were locked. T-Dog and Daryl tried to break the glass with a chair and an ax but neither worked.

"T-Dog get down!" Shane yelled walking towards the window with his gun. The gun did nothing to the window.

"Rick! I might have something that will help," Carol said digging through her bag. That first morning at camp, when I washed your uniform, I found this."

Rick grabbed the grenade from her hand and told everyone to take cover. I ran down to the other side of the lobby and Shane laid himself over me while Rick set the grenade. Rick set the grenade down and ran. The force of the blow threw Rick through the air and shattered the window. We all ran through the window and towards the vehicles.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry this is a short one. And I may not have another chapter up for a while. I don't have the first few episodes of the second season recorded so until they come on I can't write. I apologize. Don't hate me!

*Flashback*

It was only a few months before I graduated from high school. The weather had turned warm and the trees were turning green. My car was yellow with pollen and the air smelled fresh. It seemed like a miracle since I thought the winter would never end.

Rick and Shane had both left for the police academy at the beginning of winter. I didn't think it would be so bad but I missed my brother immensely.

Now they were coming home. The living room was decorated in banners and balloons for the two. Food was lined up in the kitchen and Grimes family members along with Walsh family members filled the house.

I sat on the couch waiting for the car to pull up with the guest of honor. Finally I saw the lights of Shane's old jeep pull into the drive. I rushed to the window and watched them step out. I couldn't really see them since it was dark outside. I tried to make my way to the front door but the foyer was packed with people. I heard the door open and the two step inside and being congratulated.

"Where's Joey?" I heard Rick say.

"Yeah! Where's the pipsqueak?" Shane said over the crowd. They made their way past the people and into the living room where I stood.

Rick had his girlfriend Lori tucked under his arm and Shane's hat was knocked crooked on his head. Both were buffer now. They seemed grown now. They had left the boys I grew up with and came back men. I was afraid they'd be different but the moment Shane swooped me up and spun me around in a hug I knew they would always be the Rick and Shane I knew. Shane set me down and Rick released Lori to give me a tight hug.

"You been doing okay little sis?" he asked smiling at me.

"I'm doing great now," I said unable to keep my smile from my face.

"Told you we'd be back for your graduation. That is if you're still graduating," Shane teased.

"With honors mind you!" I said flipping his hat off the rest of the way.

"Of course you are," Shane said wrapping his arm around my shoulder. "Now let's go get some food."

*End Flashback*

Walkers stood between us and the vehicles. Shane and Rick raised their guns and took them out with ease. Daryl raised the ax and smashed a walkers head in. I jumped in the jeep with Shane.

"Why aren't they moving?" Shane asked impatiently.

"Look! It's Dale and Andrea!" I said pointing to the CDC. They were almost to the RV when we heard Rick honking it's horn and we saw Dale and Andrea get down.

"Get down!" Shane yelled pulling me down to the floorboard and throwing himself over me. The force of the blow rocked the jeep and sent debris flying into the open cab. When all that was left of the noise was the sound of flames licking at the sand bags we rose.

As I peered over the dashboard I gasped at the sight of the once huge building now nothing but a pile of rubble A column of smoke rose into the sky seemingly up to heaven. The smell of burned flesh filled my nose and I had to hold in my breakfast from that morning.

Dale and Andrea stood and ran inside the RV while the flames still burned behind them. They were so close to being nothing but dust. Finally the RV started to move and our caravan started again. This time a member short.


	11. Chapter 11

The ride was quiet. I still didn't want to talk to Shane or forgive him for the previous night. He said nothing in return. I decided when we stopped I would get in a different vehicle but when we finally pulled over at a small farm house to siphon gas it was decided we would leave behind two vehicles. Shane's jeep was one of them. We both would be riding in the RV.

I managed to obtain the passenger seat while Shane sat at the kitchen table with Andrea. I had the map in my lap and Glenn sat in a chair behind me helping me find a route. I watched as we drove out of Atlanta and passed the quarry where we stayed and so many had died.

I could hear the clinking of Shane's gun as he cleaned it. Andrea was sitting at the table with him. She commented on how it seemed complicated to take it all apart and piece it back together. I nearly snorted. I had been taught at a young age by my brother and Shane. It made my stomach churn to hear Shane teaching Andrea the same things he had taught me. He offered to clean hers and I could tell by the tone in her voice she was flirting.

"Joey?" I heard Glenn say from behind me as he set a hand on my shoulder. It was then that I noticed the edges of the map were crumpled in my fists. I relaxed me hands and nodded at Glenn.

"Oh Geez," Dale said from behind the wheel. I looked up to see a major road block in our way. Daryl pulled up beside Dale on his motorcycle and Dale asked if he could see a way through. Daryl nodded and led us through the wreckage. I sighed.

"Maybe we should just go back. There's an interstate bypass," Glenn started.

"We can't spare the fuel," Dale interrupted.

As we drove through the cars that had been flipped upside down and the doors left wide open I noticed the passengers of the cars were still inside. Only dead.

"Can we get through here?" I asked. About that time something popped from the front of the RV and steam rose over the hood. Dale grunted and shook his head bringing the RV to a stop. He stood up from his seat and left the RV. We all followed.

"I said it. Didn't I say it? A thousand times. Dead in the water."

"There a problem Dale?" Shane asked as I started to walk away from the group. I found a tailgate of a truck to sit on and watched the group from a distance. I saw the group start to scavenge supplies and Shane made his way over to me.

"Hey?" he said taking a seat next to me. "You can't stay mad at me forever," I didn't say anything. "Com'on Joey. We could die tomorrow. I know I don't want to go knowing you didn't forgive me. Just… please?" he said grabbing my hand in both of his and turning to face me. I looked up at him and saw it in his eyes he meant it. I nodded at him letting him know he was forgiven for now. "Okay?" he smiled at me and kissed my forehead. "Alright. Now let's go find some stuff."

He led me through the cars by my hand over to where Glenn stood looking for a piece to match the camper.

"Any luck?" I asked.

"Not sure," he said with his head under the hood of a van. "Come on."

I saw Shane walk off from the corner of my eye and turned to see him lift up the door of a truck revealing several large containers of water. He stepped back to survey what he'd found.

"Glenn? Were we short on water?" Shane asked and I came to stand next to him. Glenn looked up and gasped. Shane grabbed me and pulled me next to the truck were he snapped a top off of one of the containers letting the water pour down on the two of us.

"Shane!" I yelled laughing. Shane had his mouth open gulping the water down.

"Hey! Save me some!" Glenn said laughing.

"It's like being baptized man," Shane said wrapping an arm around my waist. After the water from the container had soaked me and Shane we turned to see everyone ducking under cars. I had just enough time to see the walkers coming down the road before Shane pushed me under the truck and grabbed Glenn down with us.

"Shh," Shane said holding his gun in his hand. I was squished between Shane and Glenn under the truck hiding from zombies. I was doing all I could to keep my breathing down. The walkers had made it past everyone in the group and were now passing us. I closed my eyes and focused on Shane's pulse against my arm.

When the shuffling of the walkers had passed we waited a few more seconds before crawling out from under the truck. We made our way back to the others in time to see a walker follow Sophia into the woods and Rick chase after them with his gun.

"Rick!" I started grabbing for the gun in the back of my pants. Shane grabbed my and stopped me stepping in front of me.

"He can handle it," Shane said. About 30 minutes later Rick returned to the interstate.

"Where's Sophia?" he asked.

"Not here," I said walking up to him as everyone else surrounded him. He was out of breath and soaked.

"Where's my baby?" Carol asked.

"We'll go back out there. Follow her trail," Daryl said walking off and Rick followed.

"I'll go too. Glenn. Come on," Shane said walking off after them. Lori took Carol into the RV to calm her down and I decided I better watch after Carl.

"Hey buddy," I said walking up to the boy.

"Aunt Joey, you think Sophia's okay?" he asked.

"I'm sure she is. Your dad and Shane are looking for her now. They'll find her," I said patting his head. "How about we go play go fish?" I said raising up a pack of cards I had found in a car. He nodded and we took a seat on a truck tailgate and started our game.

Shane and Glenn returned a little later. Lori kept Carol inside while Shane told the rest of us to scavenge whatever else we could and begin clearing the road so we could leave as soon as possible.

I was helping Lori and Carl bring stuff up to the RV. Carol was questioning Dale about why we were moving cars instead of looking for Sophia.

"Rick and Daryl are our there," Shane assured. "They're on it. Just a matter of time and we can leave."

"The sooner the better," Andrea said coming up to us. "I'm still freaked out from that herd that came through."

"Yeah what was that?" Glenn asked.

"Herd? Yeah, that sounds about right," Shane said looking to Andrea who grinned at him. My insides boiled. "Come on. We still got a lot to do. Let's stay on it."

Shane's POV

I could see the way Joey looked at Andrea every time we spoke. I wasn't allowed to talk to Carl because Lori thought it was inappropriate. I couldn't forgive myself for the way I had acted towards Joey that night at the CDC. I figured the best thing for me to do is leave.

I was working on hotwiring a car for me to take when Carl came running up to me with a black bundle excited.

"Shane check it out!" he said unrolling it and revealing a Gerber weapons kit. "It's an arsenal."

"That's cool bud. Go give 'em to Dale," I said without looking up at the boy.

"Check this one out!" Carl said pulling out one of the weapons. "It's a hatchet!

"Careful don't play with those," Lori said walking up to him.

"They're really sharp," the boy said obviously proud of his findings.

"What did I just say?" Lori said.

"Can I keep one?" Carl asked.

"Are you crazy?" Lori said taking the hatchet from him.

"Shane? Shane tell her to let me keep one," he said practically begging me. I looked up at the boy and set my tools down.

"Hey man! Go give 'em all to Dale!" I said strictly. "Now! Go!" The look on Carl's face was pure disappointment as he took the bundle off to the RV.

"What was that?" Lori asked as I closed the hood to the Hyundai.

"What was what?" I asked walking to the drivers side.

"The way you blew him off just then. You crushed him." I ignored her as I packed my things into the backseat. "I don't believe it. You're giving me the cold shoulder?"

"Isn't that what you want? Aren't you the one who said stay the hell away from him and you?"

"I know about the CDC. With Joey?" she said and I looked up shocked. "She told me. Poor girl. You scared her to death."

"I made a mistake. One that I admit to. I've made a lot of mistakes. So have you," I said and turned back to the car.

"No debate there but Shane, we need to stop this. For the sake of Carl. And Joey."

"Why do you think I'm prepping my new ride," I said leaning against the door. "I'm leaving."

"Leaving?"

"Gone for good. First chance I get." I slipped into the car and started it up. An emergency signal came on over the radio signaling that help would be on the way. The group came over and listened to it. It was a false hope. We all knew there was no help to come. I cut the car off and stood up out of the car.

"Asshole," I mumbled and looked up to see Joey looking at me with concerned eyes. "Let's get back to work." Joey and the rest of the group walked off and I continued to pack my bags.

The sun was starting to set when Andrea decided to make a scene about her gun. Dale had taken it to keep since Andrea was thought to be suicidal after the CDC incident. I didn't blame him for keeping it. But I did need to settle the dispute.

"Everything cool?" I asked walking up to the two.

"No! I want my gun back," Andrea said.

"I don't think it's a good idea right now," Dale said.

"Why not?" I asked him just so Andrea could hear his reasoning.

"I'm not comfortable with it," he said and Andrea gave a irritated laugh.

"Well truth is, the less guns we have floating around camp the better," I said.

"You turning over your weapon?" Andrea asked crossing her arms.

"Nah. But I'm trained in it's use," I said.

"And your little girlfriend? Why does she get one?"

"She's trained as well. I assure you she knows what she's doing," I said getting defensive without realizing. "That's what everyone needs. Training. But until then I think it's best that Dale keeps them all accounted for." Andrea huffed and walked off. I looked up to see Joey staring from her spot with Carl.

"Oh god! They're back!" Glenn said. Rick and Daryl were walking up the embankment of the road but still didn't have Sophia.

"You didn't find her?" Carol asked wringing her hands.

"Trail went cold. We'll pick it up at first light," Rick said coming into our temporary camp.

"You can't just leave her out there. To spend the night in the woods. She's twelve. You didn't find anything?"

"Look I know this is hard but I'm asking you not to panic," Rick said calmly. "We know she was out there. Daryl knows the woods better than anybody. I've asked him to oversee this."

"How could you just leave her out there?" Carol asked taking a seat and staring at Rick with hatred. "How could you just leave her?"

Rick tried his best to explain to Carol why he did what he did. I backed him up the best I could but she still rambled on blaming Rick. After it was obvious reassuring Carol was useless Rick walked off from the group. Andrea and Lori sat by Carol to comfort her and I walked off to find Joey because frankly I didn't know what else to do. I found her on the roof of the RV taking watch.

"Hey," I said joining her.

"Hey," she said smiling. "Tell me honestly. Do you think we'll find her?"

"No," I said shortly. The look on Joey's face was surprised. She knew what my answer would be because she knew it too. "I think we need to move on but I know Carol won't have it."

"That's her daughter Shane," Joey said quietly. "It must be hard."


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning we divided up the Gerber weapon kit so we wouldn't be unarmed in the woods. It was decided everyone who could would go out to look for Sophia today.

"What about the guns?" Andrea asked.

"We've been over that," I said. "Only a few of us will carry. We don't need people popping off at everything that rustles."

"It's not the trees I worry about," Andrea said. She was starting to piss me off real fast.

"Say someone fires off at the wrong time. Say a heard happens to be passing by. Then it's game over for all of us," I said harshly trying to get her to understand. "So you need to get over it."

Daryl started to tell us our plan of action. We were to stick to the creek. I looked up to see Joey listening intently. I hadn't wanted her to go but I knew she wouldn't give me a choice. When we started to leave Carl informed his parents he wanted to go. I immediately knew it was a bad idea but I wasn't his parent so I sat back and let them decide. The verdict in the end was that he could go and Joey volunteered to look after him.

I helped Joey put a few more things in her bag for Carl and overheard Dale and Andrea talking. The subject was Andrea at the CDC and how she seemed too instable for her gun right now. She was saying things to Dale I knew hurt the old man. Things that were completely uncalled for.

"Come on Carl," I heard Joey say as she pulled the boy away from the conversation. I'm glad she was here to look after the boy. It seemed Lori and Rick expected him to be too responsible at his young age. When Andrea was done talking with Dale we left.

We walked through the woods quiet and in a line. I was in the back with Joey and Carl in front of me. Lori and Rick were in front of them. Carl fell back from Joey to talk to me.

"Shane look! Dad said I could keep it if I," the boy started showing me his weapon excited.

"Keep it down!" I said ending the conversation. I hurt me to do it to the boy but I had to. "If we're going to find Sophia we need to focus on the task."

The look on Carls face was the same as when I had snapped at him about the weapons. Disappointment. He sped up his pace a little and rejoined Joey who gently laid a hand on his back and looked back at me confused.

"Keep up," I heard her say quietly. I could see Carl talking to her and she answered back with answers that would keep the boys mind off of it.

We were deep in the woods when Daryl stopped us. There was a tent a few yards ahead of us. Daryl slowly walked up to it with Rick and I joined them. Daryl stopped us just a few feet short of the tent and pulled out his knife. He quietly snuck up to the tent and pulled at the edges of the cloth to see inside. He looked up at us and shrugged. Rick called Carol over telling her to call for Sophia. Carol did so but there was no answer from the tent. Rick and I joined Daryl at the entrance of the tent and when he pulled the flap back the stench was unbearable. The scene inside the tent was worse. It was a dead man with the back of his head blown off. Rick and I both gagged but Daryl stepped into the tent to investigate.

"Daryl?" Carol asked. Daryl stepped out of the tent.

"It ain't her."

"What's in there?" Joey asked slightly hesitant.

"Some guy. Did what Jenner said. Opted out. Ain't that what he called it." In the distance we could hear something. A ringing. Bells. I looked to Rick and he pointed off into the woods and our group ran off towards the noise. We made it to a clearing and the noise was bouncing off the trees making it hard to tell what direction the noise originated from.

"Which way Rick?" I asked.

"I think that way," Rick said pointing off in the direction we were heading.

"Damn. It's hard to tell out here," I said looking around.

"If we hear them than maybe Sophia does too," Carol said hopeful.

"Someone's ringing those bells. Maybe calling others," Glenn suggested.

"Or signaling that they found someone," Andrea suggested.

"She could be ringing them herself," Rick said. "Come on." The group took off again. The ringing had stopped but we continued to walk in the direction it came from. Finally we came to a clearing. We walked out into a graveyard and on the other side of it sat a church.

"That can't be it. Got no steeple. No bells," I said looking at the church. Rick ignored me and took off running towards the church. We followed. We ran up the steps to the two red doors that led into the church. Rick pulled his gun and Daryl readied his crossbow. My shotgun was tucked under my arm ready for use. Rick and Daryl pushed open the doors and we took a step in.

Figures sat in the pews. When they all turned towards us I saw Joey push Carl behind her and raise her machete. Rick, Daryl, and me took down the walkers quietly and quickly. I shoved my knife into the face of the walker and turned to see one come out from behind the open doors we came through. But Joey saw it too. She swung the machete in one swift motion burying it in the walkers brain. She jerk the machete loose and wiped it on the walkers clothes before handing it back to Carl. When her eyes met mine I saw no trace of fear in them.

"You okay?" I asked her. She nodded and returned her attention to Carl.

"Sophia!" Daryl yelled through the church. I walked towards the group and towards Joey. It still bothered me that she had to kill that walker. She nodded towards me though reassuring she was fine.

"I'm telling you it's the wrong church. It's got no steeple," I said to Rick. "No steeple." Just then the sound of bells rang out. The sound was obviously coming from the church. Daryl rushed passed us outside. I ran out of the church after him with the rest of the group. We ran around the corner of the building where we could see a speaker on the side of the building. Glenn disconnected the wire shutting off the noise.

"Timer. It's on a timer," Daryl said shaking his head.

"I'm going to go back in for a bit," Carol said sounding sick. Rick and Lori took Carl inside too and the rest of the group slowly joined them. Finally all that was left was me and Joey.

"You're leaving," she stated. I looked up at her but she wasn't looking at me. Instead her eyes were trained on the graves surrounding us.

"Just trying to be the good guy here Joey. Even if you don't understand. None of this was intended. I hope you know that."

"You're just going to disappear?" she asked stomping up to me with anger in her eyes. "You weren't even going to tell me?"

"What's the point in staying if you won't tell Rick. If you're just going to shoot me glances every now and then and be pissed at me when you think about that night."

"You're just going to leave me? Just like that?"

"It's for the best. I love you but I can't stay."

"And Carl? He adores you. You're just going to leave him?"

"I love Carl. I'm trying to put some distance. I'm trying to make this easier. This ain't easy on him. Least of all me. I'm the one who loses you both." By now my breathing was hard and Joey was looked disgusted at me. She shook her head at me and turned to go into the church. I watched her leave and saw Andrea walk around the building. She had heard it all.

The look on her face was pure confusion. I shifted from one foot to the next before walking off into the cemetery. I could hear her follow me.

"I'm coming with you!" she said when she caught up to me.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about," I said trying to ignore her.

"I'm not deaf. Look, I don't know the story but all I care about is getting out of here. As far away as I can. Like you," she said stopping me.

"Listen if I was going to bring along a whiny chick it wouldn't be you."

"I'm not asking to go steady Shane. I'm asking for a ride. A chance to start over. Somewhere else. You observed this group lately? I have. We don't belong. We're the odd men out."

"You've got Dale here. He needs you to take care of," I said trying to persuade her to stay.

"And you have Joey," she said. I looked up shocked. I guess she was right but I couldn't stay for Joey. Not after all I'd done. "Think it over." She walked off and I turned to see that the group had come out of the church. I walked over to Rick who stood alone.

"We gotta move, man," I said forgetting about the conversations I'd just had. I saw Joey talking with Lori and knew they were talking about me when Lori glanced up at me. "There's only so many hours of daylight left. We still gotta walk our way back."

"We can't stop yet," Rick said.

"We still have the whole other side of the creek bed to cover. We can check it on the way back."

"She could've heard those church bells. She could be nearby," Rick said refusing to leave Sophia out there.

"She could be a lot of things."

"I can't go back. Her being out here is my fault," Rick said with pain in his voice.

"That's great. I've got you doubting yourself, huh?" I asked looking at my best friend with concern.

"What about you? You doubt me?" Rick asked. The question took me by surprise.

"We can assign all kinds of blame," I started.

"This means something! Finding her. It'll be the miracle we need. We can't give up." I sighed and shook my head giving up. I patted Rick on the shoulder and walked towards the group.

"Y'all gotta follow the creek bed back. Daryl you're in charge. Me and Rick are just gonna hang back. Just to search a little longer," I explained to the group.

"Splitting us up?" Daryl asked. "You sure?"

"Yeah. We'll catch up to you," I said still unsure about staying back.

"I wanna stay too," Carl said speaking up. I looked up at the boy wanting to tell him to go but knowing I had no authority over him. "I'm her friend." I looked to Rick and shook my head.

"Joey will you stay with him?" Lori asked. I huffed and looked up. Joey nodded and stood from her spot under the tree. "Just be careful okay?"

"I will," Carl said. Rick joined his wife and son and the family embraced. I made eye contact with Joey who was walking over with Carl. I heard Rick handing his gun to Lori but she refused. Daryl gave Lori the gun from the dead man in the tent and the groups split heading our separate ways.

"Give me a minute," Rick said walking up to me. I nodded and took a seat on the front steps of the porch. Joey joined me while Carl wondered around looking at the tombstones.

"If you leave you know we'll never see each other again," Joey said looking at her feet. I didn't say anything. "But if that's what you want than I won't stop you."

"It's not that I never want to see you again Joey. It's that I shouldn't be here. Rick is the leader now. I… I'm just in the way. There's nothing here for me."

"You keep saying that. But I'm here! Carl," she shook her head. "You'd just leave us?" Her voice broke but she held back the tears. I wrapped an arm around her and pulled her to me kissing her head. Rick walked out of the church but I didn't release Joey.

"Get what you needed?" I asked.

"Guess I'll find out," Rick said walking past us. We separated and followed Rick into the woods. Carl kept close to Joey like he was supposed to.

Walking in the woods was quiet without the rest of the group. No one talked much. Not even Carl. And when he did it was usually to Joey. We heard something rustle and Rick put up his hand to stop us. We paused and looked around. I put my hand back towards Joey and Carl to keep the behind me but when I saw what it was I lowered my arm.

The sight of a deer in the woods was surreal. Seeing something so peaceful walking around without a care in the world seemed so out of place in this new world. I raised my gun for a moment but Joey quickly put her hand on my arm for me to lower it. The deer walked into the small clearing we stood in. Carl started to walk towards the deer and I backed up to stand beside Joey. I looked down at her to see her looking at the boy with love. I smiled at her when she turned her head up to look at me.

Carl turned back to us and I nodded to keep him going. I glanced at Rick to see him staring at his son with a grin on his face. I was happy to see my friend so peaceful. The dear heard Carl and turned to look at him but didn't walk away. Carl was about 10 feet from the deer when the gunshot went off.


	13. Chapter 13

Joey's POV

The deer fell over and so did Carl. We all stood shocked.

"No… no. No, no, no, no! Carl!" Rick screamed and we all rushed over to the boy. Rick and I knelt beside him while Shane stood in front of us with his gun raised aiming towards the woods.

"Carl!" I shrieked trying to stop the blood. The wound was bad. I was shaking and when I looked up at my brother I knew he was on the verge of pure panic.

"Who the hell are you?" I could hear Shane say.

"Is he hit?" another voice said and I looked up for a moment to see a large man carrying a gun. I heard Shane say a few more choice words to the man. "Take him to our farm! We have a man who can help him."

"Where?" I all but screamed.

"About a mile that way," the man said pointing behind him. Rick picked Carl up and we all ran off in the direction towards the farm with the man.

My hands were soaked in blood but I tried my best not to think about it. I was light headed from the combination of not eating all day and seeing so much blood. There was a reason why I didn't become a nurse with my best friend and decided to teach art. I couldn't handle the sight of blood. Especially when it was pumping out of my nephew's stomach.

We came to the edge of the woods and the sun hit us making the scene all more real. Rick was tiring out from carrying Carl so far but didn't stop running. The front of his uniform was soaked in blood. The man who shot him was out of breath and falling behind with Shane dragging him forward.

"Hey! You move shithead!" Shane said pushing the man ahead of him.

"How far?" Rick screamed turning around to the man.

"That way!" he said stopping for a breath.

"Joey! Run ahead and tell them we're coming!" Shane yelled. I nodded and the man yelled after me.

"Tell Hershel! He'll help your boy!" Hershel. Tell Hershel. I ran. Finally a white farm house came into my vision. A fence surrounded it and after getting over them I ran onto the front porch screaming for this man Hershel. The first person I saw was a girl about my age with short brown hair. She was calling for her dad. An old man ran out to me who I assumed was Hershel.

"A boy! He's hurt! We need help!" I said between breaths.

"Was he bit?" the man asked.

"No! Shot! By one of yours," I said as my eyes grew splotchy and my head got dizzy.

"Otis," I heard a woman say.

"Where is he?" Hershel asked.

"On his way. I was told to run ahead," I said leaning against a post of the porch to stay upright.

"Patricia! Get my full kit," Hershel said and people ran in the house. "You don't look so well. Are you hurt too?"

"I just need to sit down," I said and he led me inside to a couch. I laid down but shot up not a minute later when I heard Ricks voice.

"Help me! Help my boy!" he screamed.

"This way!" Hershel said. He was still screaming orders to a woman in the house. I stood and followed Rick and Hershel into a bedroom where Rick sat Carl down on a bed. "Pillowcase."

"Is he alive?" Rick asked completely distant. I'd never seen my brother like this. Hershel asked for him to get a pillowcase again but I don't think Rick could hear him. I grabbed it while Rick continued to ask if Carl as alive.

"Fold it make a pad," Hershel told me. I nodded and did as he said. "Put pressure on the wound." Hershel took his stethoscope and listened to Carls heartbeat while Rick stood mumbling behind him. "I've got a heartbeat."

"I've got it. Step back," a woman said relieving me of my duty.

"Maggie. IV." Hershel said to the shorthaired girl.

"We need some space," she said to me and Rick. I grabbed Rick by the arm to pull him away but he was still distant.

"Your name?" Hershel asked Rick.

"Rick," my brother said in a low voice.

"Rick?"

"I'm, I'm, I'm Rick," he stumbled.

"Rick, we're going to do everything we can. Okay? But you need to give us some room," Hershel said.

Rick finally came with me out into the living room where he sat down in a chair. I collapsed on the couch again taking deep breaths. We heard yelling and Rick slowly stood and aimlessly walked out onto the porch where Shane was with this Otis man.

I sat up and watched them through the doorway. Rick took his hand up and wiped his face. Shane walked over to him and took a rag and wiped the blood off it that he had just unintentionally added. Shane set it in Ricks hands so he could wipe the blood off his hands too. Rick turned around towards the door and I could see he was coming out of his shock and was on the verge of tears. Shane had a look of concern on his face and when he looked over to me I gave him a sad smile.

"You okay?" he asked me.

"Yeah. Just a little weak," I responded standing up to follow them. The room had calmed a little bit and now Carl lay on the bed pale and motionless.

"You know his blood type?" Hershel asked.

"A positive. Same as me," Rick answered.

"And me," I said willing to give blood for the boy.

"That's fortunate. Don't wonder far. I'm going to need you both," Hershel said. "What happened?" Hershel asked Otis.

"I was trackin a buck," Otis said quietly. "Bullet went through it."

"Slowed the bullet down. Which certainly saved his life," Hershel said observing the wound. "But it did not go through clean. It broke up into pieces. I'm counting six."

"Lori doesn't know," Rick said finally letting tears fall. Shane tried to comfort him but Rick kept repeating how Lori should know.

"You're not the mother?" Hershel asked.

"Aunt," I said. "I can tell Lori. I'll go back to the RV."

"We'll need you here for blood. Besides. I think you should sit and rest," Hershel said.

"Yeah. Let's get you two sat down and cleaned up," Shane said pushing us both outside.

"Jimmy would you get them some towels and water?" Maggie said. Jimmy followed us out and Shane set us both down. He pulled a chair up and sat across from us.

When Jimmy came with the water Shane started cleaning my arms but I took over and let him take care of Rick. Seeing those two take care of each other was like something out of a dream now. They'd been best friends forever and I'd seen them do everything together. But the world had changed. Seeing the way Shane acted reminded me that at least we still had each other. And I couldn't let him leave us.

"Why'd I let him come with us," Rick whispered. "I should've sent him with Lori.

"Don't you start that," Shane said shaking his head.

"Little girl goes missing. You look for her. Simple. You said call it. Go back. Carl got shot because I wouldn't go back. It should be me in there," Rick said. Shane let out a chuckle.

"You've been there partner. Right? And you pulled through."

"Is that why I got out of that hospital? For my family to end here? Like some kind of sick joke?" Rick said raising his voice a little.

"Rick stop," I said worried. The door to Carls room opened.

"Rick?" Maggie asked coming out. "He needs blood." Rick followed her into the room and the door shut behind them. I was sitting up straight staring at the door with concern. My breathing hadn't seemed to slowed since I got here. I could hear yelling and Maggie opened the door again asking Shane for help. Shane went in and Carl continued to wail. I could hear Shane yell at someone and I couldn't take it anymore. I had to get away from that room.

I walked to the back of the house and into the kitchen. There was a small breakfast table there and I took a seat. There was a notepad and a red pen sitting in the middle of the table. I picked it up and started to draw to distract myself. When I finished a red cardinal sat on the paper. Shane had taken a seat across from me but I had barely noticed.

"How is he?" I asked without looking up.

"Stable for now," he said.

"Do they need more blood?" I asked looking up at Shane. His face was stressed.

"You may need to relieve Rick. He's given a lot," Maggie said coming into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of orange juice and pouring a glass. I nodded and followed her into the room.

They set me in a chair and stuck my arm. I had to look away and squeeze my eyes shut. When they were done I could feel my pulse in my head and I was cold. When I stood I made it about two steps before everything went black.

When I woke back up I was laying in a bed somewhere in the house. A figure was sitting next to me and when I turned I saw it was Shane.

"About time you woke up little lazy," he said giving me a laugh. "I was about to have to leave."

"Leave?" I asked as my smile dropped.

"I gotta go with Otis up to the high school. Get some medical supplies. Won't take long," he said grabbing my hand.

"Carl?" I asked.

"He's fine for now. But the doc needs some stuff. We're going to get it," Shane said.

"I don't like this."

"You don't have a choice. I have to go." I nodded.

"How's Rick?"

"Weak. He's given too much blood. So have you. You should've never given any to start with."

"Carl needed it," I said.

"Yeah. You get better alright? I gotta go," he leaned down and kissed my forhead. But paused just above me. "I love you."

"I love you too Shane. But you better come back to me." Shane smiled and left. I pulled the IV from my arm and stood. There was a glass of orange juice and a jar of peanut butter with some crackers on the bedside table. I ate a little and went back downstairs to find Rick.

He was sitting with Carl again. Shane was right. He looked weak. But so did Carl. He looked up and saw me and gestured to the seat next to him.

"You feeling better?" Rick asked.

"Much better. Have you eaten anything?" Rick nodded. "I heard he's stable now."

"For now. We need that respirator from the school."

"Shane will get it," I said squeezing my brothers shoulder. I looked over at Carl who was asleep. "He looks peaceful."

"He passed out. When Hershel removed a bullet fragment." I nodded and looked down at my feet. "I need some air. Will you watch him?"

"Of course." Rick stood and left the room. I heard the front door open as he walked outside. I could hear him talking to Hershel but I couldn't tell what was being said. After a little while they got quiet. Then I heard the sound of someone crying and looked out to see Maggie had arrived with Lori. As Rick brought her in the room I left to give them some privacy.

"So you're his aunt?" Maggie said as I walked into the living room where she sat. I took a seat across from her.

"Yeah. Rick's sister," I said. "Sorry. I'm Joey."

"I caught on," she said giving me a smile. "You and Rick are a lot alike. Seem like good people."

"I hope we are," I said thankful for a conversation on a subject different from being eaten.

"And the other man? Shane? He your husband?"

"No. We just grew up together. Close friends," I said. Maggie gave me a look like she could see right through me.

"I see."

"You're Hershel's daughter?" I asked changing the subject.

"Yeah. Lived on this farm my whole life."

"Must be nice to still have a home."

"It just seems like a refugee camp now. Home died with the ones we lost."

"I'm sorry," said hoping I didn't offend her.

"It's okay. I guess it's something we'll have to get used to."

"I am glad to see there are more survivors though."

"As am I."

The door opened to Carls room and Lori was helping Rick walk. He'd given more blood and was extremely pale. I stood and grabbed Rick's other arm to help escort him to the dining room where Hershel was.

"Next time come get me. I'll give some."

"You shouldn't. You fell out," Rick objected.

"I'm fine now." Hershel handed Rick a glass of orange juice and directed him to a chair but he didn't sit.

"So when Shane and this man," Lori said looking to Hershel.

"Otis," he said for her.

"The idiot who shot my son." I wanted to reach across the table and slap Lori then. I knew she was upset but that wasn't the thing to say to the man who was trying to save her son.

"Ma'am, it was an accident," Hershel said.

"I'll take that under advisement later. Until then he's the idiot who shot our son."

"Lori, they're doing everything they can to make it right," Rick said grabbing her hand.

"Okay. As soon as they get back, you can perform this surgery," Lori said.

"I'll certainly do my best," Hershel answered.

"Okay. I'm mean you've done this procedure before?" she asked.

"Well in a sense."

"In a sense?"

"Honey, we don't have the luxury of shopping for a surgeon," Rick said.

"I understand that. But, I mean, you're a doctor, right?"

"Yes ma'am. Of course," Hershel said. "A vet." My head shot up.

"A veteran? A combat medic!" Lori said nodding.

"A veterinarian." We were all left speechless.

"And you've done this surgery before on what? Cows? Pigs?" Lori asked.

"Hey, hey," Rick started as he slowly pulled out a chair. I saw him start to fall and helped him collapse into the chair. Lori rushed over to him as he tried to calm her.

"You're completely in over your head aren't you?" Lori asked.

"Ma'am, aren't we all?" Hershel replied. I nodded and looked to Lori who looked horrified.


	14. Chapter 14

Later that night Hershel checked Carl's blood pressure again. He said it was dropping again and he couldn't wait much longer. I gave as much blood as Hershel would let me and then all we could do was wait. Rick said he was going after Shane and Otis but we wouldn't let him. I was worried to death over Shane.

"I can't just sit here," Rick said begging to go after Shane.

"That's exactly what you'll do!" Lori said yelling at him. If I hadn't been so weak I might've knocked her on her ass but instead I sat.

"Shane said he'd be back Rick. He'll be back," I said.

"I can't do this by myself," Lori whispered. "Not this one. I can't." Rick stared at his wife and nodded taking a seat beside Carl.

I guess after a while Rick could tell I was worried about Shane. So he started to tell stories about when they were in high school.

"You remember that time Shane stole the principals car?" Rick asked. I let out a short laugh and nodded. "I mean it was legendary. Right out of the teachers lot in the middle of the school day. Shane steps out of lunch. Makes a B-Line to Principals Kingsly's Hyundai. Wire's the ignition. Peels out. Drives out to the chicken farm out there," Rick paused to look to his wife. "You've heard this right? So he pulls it into one of the big holding pens. Now Kingsly had that car waxed every month. Had the auto shop vacuum it out every week. But Shane, parks it in this huge pen with a couple of Rhode Island Reds. Bust open bags of seed in the back seat. Rolls down all the windows, and then starts sprinting back to school. It's three miles easy. But he was back in time to finish his sandwich before the bell."

I nodded realizing why Rick had told us this story again. To remind me that Shane could make it back. With or without help.

"The bell rings. Shane gets up and he runs into Kingsly in the hallway and he looks out the window and he says, Principal Kingsly, Your coupes gone," Rick laughed at this. "Coupe like chicken coop. But of course you get it. You've heard this story thousands of times. What you said before though. You were right. Shane will make it back. Carl's going to be alright." Lori looked up at Rick.

"You need to eat something. Please for me. You gotta keep your strength up," Lori said. Rick picked up a sandwich on the table and started eating.

I saw lights move across the wall indicating a vehicle had pulled up. I jumped up and ran to the porch and was slightly disappointed to see it was Glenn and T-Dog.

"Not who you were expecting?" I heard a voice say. I turned to see Maggie sitting in a rocker on the porch.

"Not exactly."

"They're from your group though right?" she asked.

"Yeah. Glenn and T-Dog," I said as they stepped out of the car. They walked up to the porch and up to me.

"You close the gate on the way in?" Maggie asked. Glenn's head jerk to the side surprised to see her like I was.

"Yeah. We closed it. Good to see you again," Glenn said smiling. "We met… before. Briefly." I grinned at Glenn and saw that Maggie had noticed T-Dog's cut.

"It's not a bite," T-Dog said. "Cut myself pretty bad though."

"We have some antibiotic's," Glenn said holding up a yellow prescription bottle. "Gave him some."

"Come inside. We'll have you looked at. I'll fix you some food," Maggie said opening the door. We followed her in but Glenn caught sight of the open door where Carl was and went to take a look.

"Hey," he said when he walked in the doorway. Rick looked up and greeted him. "Um. We're here okay."

"Thank you," Lori said dismissing him.

"Whatever you need," T-Dog said chiming in.

We left the room and Maggie took the boys into the kitchen. I helped her make them some food and Maggie went to find Hershel to look at T-Dogs arm.

"What's her name?" Glenn asked.

"Maggie," I said smiling at him.

"You know you're not too smooth," T-Dog said teasing him. Glenn looked down and blushed.

"If it makes you feel better you don't have much competition anymore," I said with a grin. Maggie returned with Patricia who had the supplies to stitch T-Dog up. She cleaned his wound off and started sewing. I couldn't watch so I turned the opposite direction. T-Dog started to gasp and I had to leave the room.

I walked out onto the porch and took a seat in one of the rockers. The night was peaceful. The crickets chirped in the distance. I heard the door open and Glenn walked out. He took a seat in the rocker next to me.

"So Carl. You think he'll make it?" Glenn said leaning over looking at his hands.

"If Shane makes it back he will," I said.

"Where did Shane go?"

"Went with the man who shot Carl to get a respirator from a FEMA trailer at the high school. It was only supposed to be a few miles away. They've been gone for hours."

"Oh," Glenn replied quietly. "I think they'll make it back."

"I hope so," we sat listening to the crickets a while longer and Maggie walked out onto the porch. When I saw her I stood. "I'm going to check on Carl." When I passed Maggie I winked and she stared confused.

I paused at the door to Carl's room when I heard Rick talking. He was telling Lori about when it happened. About the deer. I decided to leave them alone but turned and saw Hershel walking towards me. He nodded at me and walked into the room. I followed. He took Carls blood pressure again and sighed.

"He's loosing blood faster than we can replace it," Hershel said.

"I can give more," Rick said.

"No you can't. You given three times," Hershel said.

"I'll give again," I said sitting in the chair.

"Neither of you can. We need to operate now because I think your boy is out of time." Rick and Lori both stood silent. "You have to make a choice."

"A choice?" Lori said with a shudder.

"A choice," Rick said turning to Lori. "You have to tell me what it is. You have to tell me."

"We do it," Lori said pulling herself together. Hershel told me to fetch Patricia and I did. We then transferred Carl over to a metal cart and Patricia and Hershel started preparing for the surgery.

"You may want to step out," Hershel said as he picked up his instruments. I nodded and started to leave but noticed lights in the window first. I ran out onto the porch and nearly cried when I saw the blue truck pull up. Shane stepped out of the driver's seat pulling a bag behind him. Rick came out behind me and Shane walked over to us out of breath.

"Carl?" Shane asked.

"There's still a chance," Rick said. Shane handed the bags to Hershel who was looking in the truck.

"Otis?" he asked. This was the first time I'd thought about Otis. Where was he? I looked to Shane who shook his head and looked down. By now Maggie and Glenn had joined us and everyone stood speechless for a moment. "We say nothing to Patricia. Not till after. I need her." Hershel then took the bags inside.

Shane looked lost. Completely messed up. It worried me. Rick took him into a hug while Shane looked around wildly. His eyes met mine and didn't leave until Rick let him go and asked him what happened.

"They kept blocking us man," Shane said in a whisper. "Every turn. We had nothing left. Ten rounds. He said keep going so that's what I did. But I should've… I kept going. But I could've… I looked back and he… I tried."

Maggie stood beside me crying as she listened to Shane. I laid a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. Shane looked up and noticed and the guilt on his face became worse. Rick turned and took Maggie into the house. I looked over at Shane and he still stood running his hands through his hair and his eyes wandering.

"Shane maybe you should sit," I said slowly reaching my arm towards him. He nodded but still didn't look at me. I put my hand on his arm and lead him towards the truck where I sat him down in front of it. "You going to be okay?" He nodded. "Will you talk to me."

"I should've stayed. I could've helped him."

"And you could've been killed. You might've just saved Carl's life," I said rubbing the back of his hand with my thumb. I heard the door open and saw Rick come out with Lori. They sat down on the porch steps together.

"I didn't think you would come back," I said quietly.

"I'm here though," Shane said looking at me. I smiled happy to see him not look so worried. The door opened again about half an hour later and Hershel walked out. We stood and walked over to where he was talking with Lori and Rick. The rest of our group had walked out to hear the news.

"He seems to have stabilized," Hershel said.

"Oh thank god," Rick breathed. Rick walked up to the old man and gave him a hug. I let out a small laugh and breathed a sigh of relief. When Rick stepped away Lori thanked him.

"How do I tell Patricia about Otis," Hershel said. I looked up at Shane who's smile had dropped and grabbed his hand.

"You go to Carl," Rick said to Lori. "I'll go with Hershel."

Rick and Hershel walked into the house with the rest of the group and I started to walk towards the house. I stopped when I noticed how slow Shane was. I turned to see him limping.

"You hurt your leg?"

"It's not bad," he said shrugging it off.

"You should let Hershel look at it."

"I don't think the doc wants much to do with me right now." I nodded and helped him up the steps.

When we walked in Rick and Hershel were setting Patricia down in a chair while she bawled her eyes out. Shane stopped and watched for a moment before I tried to pull him away.

"I want to see Carl," he said and I nodded letting him go to Carl's room. I walked towards the kitchen not knowing what else I could do. Maggie was in there.

"I guess your friend will need some clothes," she said wiping away some stray tears. I nodded. "Come on."

She took me upstairs to a room where she opened some drawers and handed me some clothes. She walked into the hallway and opened up a door.

"You two can stay in here tonight. The bathrooms across the hall."

"Thank you," I said smiling at her. "For everything Maggie. You and your father have done so much."

"What else could we do? Watch that little boy die? But you're welcome Joey. I'll take these clothes to him." Maggie said back taking the clothes from me. "And the asian boy. What's his name?" she asked walking away.

"Glenn," I said with a knowing look. She nodded and blushed.

I walked into the bedroom and lay down on the bed. It had obviously been a boy's room. There were posters of bands on the walls and a baseball and gloves on the dresser. I wouldn't ask about it though. Maggie probably didn't want to talk about it. I heard footsteps coming up the stairs and got up. I looked out the door in time to see Shane walk into the bathroom and close the door.

I pulled off my shoes and pants and laid down in the bed pulling the sheets around me. Shane was in the bathroom for a long time and I dozed off. I woke up when the door opened. I sat up and gasped when he walked in. His head was shaved.

"Shane?" I asked tentatively. He looked up at him and sat down on the edge of the bed. I crawled over to him and messaged his shoulders. "Let me see your ankle." He pulled his legs up on the bed and laid his head back on the pillow. I rolled up his pants leg and inspected his injury. It was swollen and purple. "You should let Hershel look at this."

"No!" Shane said strictly. I was taken aback and nodded. "Sorry. I just don't want to ask him to."

"Will you let him look at it if it's still this swollen tomorrow? It could be broken," I asked. Shane sighed and nodded. "Can I asked about the hair?"

"Needed a change." I smiled at him and he gave me one back. "Come here." I joined him and laid my head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around me and I felt safe again.


	15. Chapter 15

We woke up early the next morning. The sun had barely made its way over the horizon. There was movement downstairs so we got dressed and met the others there. They were going to make a memorial for Otis. Shane and I volunteered to help so we went outside and started moving rocks into a wheel barrow to be made into a neat pile with a cross.

The farm was beautiful in the morning. The dew was still settled on the leaves and fence wires. Everything glistened. A fog was floating on the fields in the distance and around the old barn. Birds chirped quietly in the trees.

This peacefulness was interrupted by the sound of a loud motor. I looked down the driveway to see a motorcycle heading down it. Behind it the Hyundai Shane was going to use and the RV. We stopped working and walked over to where our group was gathering. Rick and Lori walked out of the house with Hershel.

"How is he?" Dale asked.

"He'll pull through," Lori said confidently smiling. "Thanks to Hershel and his people and,"

"And Shane," Rick finished. "We'd have lost Carl if not for him." Shane looked up at the group then back at his hands. Dale took Rick in a hug and we welcomed the rest of the group.

"How'd it happen?" Dale asked.

"Hunting accident," Rick said. "That's all. Just a stupid accident."

"Well I'm glad he's okay," Dale said and hugged me next.

"It's good to see you Dale."

"You too sweetheart."

"We should probably get back to what we were doing," I said turning back to Shane who looked uncomfortable.

"Which was?" Andrea asked.

"They lost one. When they went for supplies," Rick said. "We were just preparing for the ceremony." I walked with Shane back over to the pile of rocks.

"Hershel's whole family looks at me like I'm scum."

"They're just mourning. They'll get over it. You just have to let them get through it."

"Yeah. I guess," he said picking up a rock. Others joined us and soon we were starting the ceremony.

We all went forward and added a rock to the mound while Hershel preached and told about the fallen man. Hershel asked Shane if he would speak for Otis.

"I'm not very good at that," he said quietly. "I'm sorry."

"You were the last one with him," Patricia said with a shaky voice. "In his final moments. Please? I need to hear. I need to know his death had meaning." Shane looked at her and started to speak. He stumbled at first but finally the words came out clear.

"We were about done. Almost down to ammo. We were down to pistols. I was limping. It was bad. Ankle all swollen up. 'We gotta save the boy,' see that's what he said. He gave me his backpack and shoved me ahead. Run he said. Said I'll take the rear I'll cover you. Then when I looked back," he stopped here and looked back at Patricia. He stepped forward and added his stone to the pile. "If not for Otis, I'd never made it out alive. And that goes for Carl too. It was Otis. He saved us both." He turned back to Patricia. "If any death ever had meaning, it was his."

After the ceremony everyone headed back inside and our group started setting up camp. Shane took some of his clothes from his suitcase in the Hyundai and dressed got dressed. When he was done he walked out in his Police cap and clothes that fit. Rick was talking with Hershel and Daryl about Sophia. We joined them and Maggie came up with a map.

"How long's this girl been lost?" Hershel asked.

"This will be day three," Rick replied.

"County survey map," Maggie said spreading the map out on the hood of the truck. "Show's terrain and elevations."

"This is perfect," Shane said observing the map.

"We can finally get this thing more organized," Rick said. "We'll grid the whole area. Start searching in teams."

"Not you. Not today," Hershel said to Rick then looked to me. "Or you. You each gave too much blood. You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out. And your ankle," Hershel said looking at Shane, "push it now you'll be up a month. No good to anybody."

"Guess it's just me," Daryl said turning the map so he could get a better look. "I'm going to head back to the creek. Make my way back from there."

"I could still be useful. Drive up to the interstate. See if Sophia wondered back," Shane said.

"Alright. Tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right," Rick said.

"That means we can't have our people out there with just knives. They need the gun training we promised," Shane said.

"I'd prefer you not carrying guns on my property," Hershel said. "We've managed so far without turning this into an armed camp."

"We're guest here. This is your property. We will respect that," Rick said and laid his gun down on the truck hood. Shane followed suit and I sat mine down next to his. "First things first. Set camp, find Sophia."

"I hate to be the one to asks but somebody's got to," Shane said. "What happens if we find her and she's bit? I think we should all be clear on how we handle that." Rick stared at Shane thinking through the inevitable.

"You do what has to be done."

"And her mother? What do you tell her?" Maggie asked horrified.

"The truth," I said quietly.

"I'll go around and gather and secure all the weapons. Make sure no ones carrying one," Shane said. "I do request one rifle for lookout. Dale has experience." Hershel looked at Shane skeptical.

"Our people would feel safer," Rick said. "Less inclined to carry a gun." Hershel nodded. "Thank you."

Shane walked off to start his jobs and Maggie stopped me and asked if we had anymore medicine.

"Just what you've seen, as far as I know," I said shaking my head.

"We're short already. I should make a run into town," Maggie said to her father.

"Not the way Shane went," Rick said concerned.

"No there's a pharmacy. Just a mile down the road. I've done it before."

"She should take Glenn," I mentioned. Ricked nodded and turned to Hershel.

"See our man there? In the baseball cap? That's Glenn. Our go to town expert," Rick said. Hershel nodded and Maggie walked off to talk to Glenn.

I was walking towards Shane who when I noticed Andrea walking towards him too. I paused to see how this would play out. I could hear her ask about the guns. They argued for a bit before they both sat down. I could tell that Shane was teaching her to clean her gun again. I turned and instead joined my brother who stood by the house.

"Hey Rick," I said walking up to him. "What wrong?"

"Hershel was just letting me know that this wasn't permanent. That when Carl get's better and we find Sophia we're no longer welcome here." I sat down on the step and he followed.

"Well what did you expect? There are few good things left in this world. Why would this be one of them?"

"Shane any better?" he asked.

"As far as I can tell. Haven't talked to him much. He's with Andrea."

"You know I don't like the idea of you being around him so much anyway."

"Rick, we grew up together. I've been around him my whole life."

"You know what I mean," he said nudging me with his elbow.

"Sure. I think I'll go see Carl. I haven't seen him since he woke up."

"Probably a good idea. He probably misses his favorite aunt." I stood and walked into the house. I walked through the kitchen and saw Maggie coming down the drive with two horses. I guess her and Glenn were leaving sooner than I thought. I grabbed the notepad with the cardinal on it and scribbled down something and ran out the back door towards Glenn.

"Hey Glenn!" he turned and lowered his binoculars to look at me.

"Huh?"

"Do you have a list of things to get?" I asked.

"Uh yeah. Lori gave it to me. It's somewhere," he said stuffing his hands in all his pockets.

"Nevermind that. I just had something to add to it," I said handing him the piece of paper. "If you could be really quiet about this." He opened up the piece of paper and nodded.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Feminine Hygiene section," I said to the boy. He stuttered for a moment and said okay. I was walking away when Dale walked up.

"Where's Rick?" he asked.

"He was by the house. Why?"

"We have a small situation. Is Shane around?" he asked looking around.

"Yeah. Over there," I said pointing behind me to where he sat at the picnic table. He walked over to him and Glenn and I followed.

"What's going on?" Maggie asked joining up with up.

"Dale said there's a situation," I said shrugging.

"Shane, can you come over to the well with us," Dale said.

"What is it?" Andrea asked.

"I think they're a walker in the well," Dale said. Shane looked up at Dale and stood. He took the bag of guns and brought them into the RV and came out with a flashlight.

"Come on. Let's go take a look," he said. We all walked over to the well and Shane handed the flashlight to Dale. We all leaned over the edge and when he shined the light into the darkness we all groaned.

"Looks like we got us a swimmer," Dale said. The walker was bloated from the water and its skin was stretched and split. Pus ran from its eyes which were sticking out of its head unnaturally far. We removed the top of the well to get a better look.

"How long do you think it's been down there?" I asked.

"Long enough to grow gills," Andrea said. I looked up at her through my lashes with a frown.

"God knows what it's doing to the water," Maggie said.

"Well we gotta get it out," Shane said.

"Just put a bullet in its head," T-Dog suggested.

"Whoa whoa whoa guys. No," Maggie said.

"Why not?" Glenn asked. "It's a good plan."

"It's a stupid plan," Andrea said. "If that thing hasn't contaminated the water already, blowing its brains out will finish the job."

"I hate to tell you but I'm pretty sure we shouldn't drink that," I said.

"It's worth a shot," Andrea said with an edge in her voice.

"Well then you can be the first to try it," I said through gritted teeth.

"She's right. We can't just shoot it," Shane said. I looked over at Shane who was staring down into the well. I glanced up at Andrea who was smiling triumphantly at me.

"So it has to come out alive," T-Dog said.

"So to speak," Shane said.

"How do we do that?" Glenn asked.

Twenty minutes later we had a potted ham impaled on the end of a giant meat hook attached to a rope. Shane lowered it down into the well but the walker did nothing.

"He's not going for it," Dale said shaking his head.

"A ham don't kick and scream when he's trying to eat it," T-Dog said.

"He's right. There's a reason the dead didn't come back to life and sit down with us for Thanksgiving," I said.

"We need live bait," Andrea said.

"You'd do the trick," I mumbled. Instead of volunteering herself Andrea looked up at Glenn. Glenn sighed and nodded.

"Come on then," Shane said pulling the rope back up. Glenn sat down at the edge of the well while Shane tied a harness around him with the rope.

"Have I mentioned that I like your new haircut?" Glenn asked nervously.

"Don't worry about it bud," Shane said finishing up the last knot. "Hey, we're going to get you out of here in one piece."

"Living piece," Glenn corrected. "The living part is important. Shane handed Glenn the rope he would need to tie around the walker and gave him a pat on the back. He then walked over to where the rope began to help lower Glenn down. "Nice and slow please."

"We've got you Glenn," I said from my place behind T-Dog holding the rope.

"Oh, you people are crazy," Maggie said nervously pacing.

"Want to get it out of your well or not?" Shane asked.

"Give us an eye there Maggie," Dale asked. Maggie walked over to the edge of the well to watch Glenn be lowered down. Glenn took one last look around and lowered himself into the well. I tightened my grip on the rope and slowly let it slide past my hands.

"A little lower," Maggie said. I heard a creak and looked up in time to see the pump we had the rope tied around break free from the ground causing Glenn to fall too far into the well. Shane ran to catch the pump before it broke free completely and we all grabbed at the rope in a panic to save Glenn.

"Get me out of here! Get me out!" Glenn yelled. The force had dragged us all to the ground and now we were shuffling backwards on our butts with our feet. Finally Shane got to his feet and started to pull the rope up. The rest of us got the chance to stand and helped him pull a screaming Glenn from the walker. Finally we saw Glenn pop up over the well and scramble to get out. We ran over to him and Shane pulled him out the rest of the way.

"You okay Glenn?" I asked. "Glenn?"

"Back to the drawing board," Dale said. Glenn sat up with a huge smile on his face.

"Say's you," he said breathing heavy. He stood and handed the rope in his hands to Dale. Dale pulled on it and it jerked back. Glenn had secured the walker.


	16. Chapter 16

Pulling the walker up was no easy task. We tied the rope off to a horse and all had to help pull it up. The bloated beast was much heavier than Glenn was. We could hear the walker growl as he ascended. Finally the disgusting creature's head came up over the rim of the well. Slowly its torso joined it. But the last half of the walker would not come over the top of the well. It was stuck.

"Pull!" Shane yelled. Then I was knocked on my tail. I looked up and saw that the walker had torn in half and stood to see the bottom half and large amounts of organs and fluids fall back into the well.

"Jesus," I whispered. The top half of the walker turned and started growling and grabbing at us. Its spinal cord and intestines hanging loose from the rest of its body.

"Seal off this well," Dale said.

"Yeah," Shane said rubbing his head. "Probably be a good idea."

"What do we do about," Andrea started but her sentence was finished by T-Dog bashing the walkers head in with a crowbar. The sight was sickening. I saw Maggie walk off and I had to turn and cover my mouth with my hand.

"It's a good thing we didn't do anything stupid like shoot it," T-Dog said sarcastically. The group dispersed and Shane walked over to where I stood struggling to keep my lunch down.

"You gonna be okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said nodding.

"You up for a walk to the highway? Check for Sophia?"

"I think I can handle that."

We went and got Carol and started our hike to the highway. The walk wasn't long. A mile or so. It was quiet on the way up there. I think we all knew Sophia wouldn't be there.

When we arrived at the old Mustang we had left supplies on it was still sitting there. Untouched. Carol walked up to it and me and Shane followed keeping a distance.

"We'll come again tomorrow," I said walking up to her and laying a hand on her back. "There's always the chance,"

"I don't. I really don't need to hear it anymore, Joey," Carol said. I nodded and walked away from her.

"You never know Carol," Shane said speaking up. She raised her hand to him signaling for him to stop. Shane walked over and joined me and when Carol was done having her moment we headed back.

"Did it bother you to kill that walker the other day, Joey?" Shane asked. I could tell something was on his mind but I didn't think he'd be worried about that.

"I don't guess it was really alive anyway," I said.

"I guess you're right. It's a lot different taking down a man who can think," Shane said. I knew he had killed men on the job. He was the one who killed the man who shot Rick.

"Was it hard?"

"You know they say in that kind of situation things slow down. But that's crap. They speed up. Adrenaline. Gotta use your instinct. Cause if somebody's gonna die, you better hope you're the one who's making that decision. But that's not what you were asking," he said pausing at a fence we came to and leaned against it. "You have to turn off a switch. The switch that makes you scared, or angry, sympathetic. Whatever. You don't think. You just act. There ain't nothing easy about taking a man's life. But when you get it done, you have to forget it." Shane didn't seem like himself as he spoke. "I guess I haven't quite got that last part down yet."

"But you'll get there," I said smiling at him. He looked up at me and his worried eyes relaxed.

"I hope so." He leaned on the fence again to test its strength. "You going to help me and Rick teach these people to shoot?"

"If you think I could help."

"Sure you could. You're a great shot. Better than half the men I worked with."

"I'll be there then."

"We'll do it here. It's a good spot. Let's head back."

When we got back to the farm Lori was doing laundry and I went to help her. Shane started us a fire and when the laundry was hung on the line we started to cook some food. Not long after Maggie and Glenn headed up the road on their horses. I left the food to Lori and went to meet Glenn.

"You get it?" I asked as he slid off his horse. He nodded and pulled off his backpack. He reached into a front pocket and handed me a white package. I thanked him and stuffed it into the back of my pants. Glenn looked embarrassed when he looked at me and walked off. I didn't think on it long and headed to my tent. I made sure Shane was busy talking to Dale before I ducked inside and hid the package in my suitcase.

That night Lori and Rick stayed in the house with Carl. He was definitely getting better and was asking Hershel when he could leave the bed. Hershel promised the boy soon. After supper Shane and I went to the tent.

"We should've just shot that walker," Shane said after we'd laid down. I turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow. "I put Glenn's life in danger for no reason."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. Stop worrying about what's done. Glenn doesn't hold it against you. He's fine. You shouldn't let it bother you."

"Are you okay? I've been worried since you fainted," he said rolling to face me.

"I'm fine. I just didn't have enough to eat that day," I said and ran my hand over his newly shaved head. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I don't want to think about the school right now. Should probably get some sleep. We gotta look for Sophia tomorrow."

"I hope they find her," I said quietly.

"Me too," Shane said kissing my forehead. "Go to sleep Joey. I love you."

"Love you too Shane."

But I didn't go to sleep. As soon as Shane's breathing was heavy I slipped out of his arms. I looked back to make sure he was still out and quietly snuck over to my suitcase. I slid the box out of the bag and opened it taking out the test. I turned to Shane again and once I saw he was still asleep I left the tent. The camp was quiet. Everyone was asleep.

I walked off where no one could see me and took the pregnancy test. I pulled my pants back up and waited. When the time was finally up I checked the test. The plus sign brought tears to my eyes. I didn't know what to do but I needed to get back to the tent before Shane noticed I was missing and came looking for me. I wiped my tears and buried the test under a log.

When I walked back in the tent Shane woke up and rolled over to look at me. He sat up with a start before he realized it was me in the doorway.

"Where you been?" he asked.

"Had to pee," I said climbing into bed.

"Shouldn't go out there alone. You know that," he said pulling me back to him.

"I didn't want to wake you," I said holding back my tears but refused to let myself think about it. Shane didn't say anything else and soon we were both asleep again.

The next morning I woke up and Shane was gone. I noticed it was bright outside and grabbed for my watch by the mattress. It was late. I should've been up two hours ago. I got up and got dressed. I walked out of the tent and saw Carol and Lori doing the laundry.

"You guys shouldn't have let me sleep this late," I said grabbing some clothes to help hang up.

"Shane said you didn't sleep well last night. Said to let you sleep in a little," Lori said.

"Must've needed it? You feeling alright?" Carol asked.

"I'll be fine. Wake me up from now on. Especially on laundry day," I said.

"We've managed fine. But Carol had a brilliant idea. She wants to cook a big dinner for Hershel and his family."

"Sounds like a great idea," I said.

I heard Rick talking and looked up to see him and Shane over by the map again. I finished hanging my clothes and walked over to them. They had given everyone an area to cover. When Rick got finished assigning everyone their spots everyone left except me, Shane, and Rick.

"Who do I go with?" I asked.

"You're staying in camp little lady," Shane said.

"Staying in camp? I'm one of the few people who know how to use a gun," I argued.

"Which is why you're staying here. We can't have just Dale here to guard everyone. If something happens he'll need your help," Rick said. I knew this was a load of crap but I rolled my eyes and walked off.

I finished the chores we had to do in our camp and found Maggie to see if she needed help in the garden. I was willing to do anything to get my mind off of my current problem.

"What bothering you?" Maggie asked.

"Nothing," I said looking up at her while we pulled weeds and ripe vegetables.

"Come on Joey. I haven't known you long but I know something's up." I didn't say anything and continued my job of gathering okra. "Okay. When you decide you want to talk about I'm here."

When that was done I walked back to the tents and saw Shane and Rick walking up. Rick stopped to talk to Lori and Shane walked over to me.

"Nothing?" I asked.

"What did you expect? Everything fine in camp?"

"Yeah. I see Andrea has taken her post as little miss scout," I said looking up at her on top of the RV with a rifle. "She should probably learn how to shoot that before carrying it around."

"It's self explanatory," Shane said. "You feeling better since this morning?"

"Yeah. I felt fine this morning."

"You squirmed in your sleep all night. I've never seen you like that. Usually sleep like a rock."

"Must've just been a weird dream," I said brushing it off. "Let's get you cleaned up."

"Why? Do I smell?" Shane asked smirking.

"Worse than the dead," I said with a scrunched up nose. I went to fetch Shane a bucket of water while he got out of his clothes. I brought the bucket to where he was behind our tent and took his dirty clothes. I left them in a basket for laundry and found a clean pair in the tent. I gave him the clean clothes and just as he finished getting dressed we heard Andrea yell out.

"Walker!" We ran around to the RV where everyone else had gathered.

"Just the one?" Rick asked. Andrea had her gun trained on it and Rick demanded she lower it.

"Best let us handle this," Shane said grabbing a pick ax.

"Hershel wants to handle walkers," Rick said putting his hand out to stop Shane.

"What for? We got it covered," Shane said ignoring him. Rick ran off and grabbed his own weapon and Shane, Glenn, Rick and T-Dog all ran out to the walker. They were almost to the walker when I saw Andrea prepare her gun again.

"Andrea! Don't you do it!" I yelled.

"Shut up Joey," she said.

"You don't know what the hell you're doing," I said and started towards the RV. "You could hit one of them!"

"Back off!"

"Put. The. Gun. Down!" I said sternly. When she didn't I started climbing the ladder towards her. I stopped when I heard her shoot. I turned and saw the walker go down. Only Rick and they guys didn't seem too happy. Rick started yelling and I watched as they picked the walker up and started dragging it towards camp.

"What on earth is going on out here?" Hershel said running out to us. We all ignored him and Andrea, Dale, and I all ran out to the group. When we got closer I noticed the walker was Daryl. Except he wasn't a walker. He just looked like shit.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Is he dead?" Andrea asked freaking out.

"Just unconscious," Rick said. "You just grazed him."

"Look at him. What the hell happened?" Glenn said. "He's wearing ears!" Rick took the string of ears and ripped them off Daryl's neck stuffing them in his pocket.

"Let's keep that to ourselves."

"Guys," we heard T-Dog say behind us. "Isn't this Sophia's?" We turned and saw that he was holding Daryl's crossbow in one hand and a doll in the other.

"He must've found it," I said.

"We'll ask him about it when he wakes up," Rick said and continued carrying Daryl to the farmhouse. I stopped when they handed him to Hershel and turned to Andrea. I didn't say anything only glared and shook my head. She looked guilty. I was glad.

When Rick and Shane were done talking with Daryl, Shane joined me at a table where I sat drawing the scenery. Neither of us said anything for a while. Finally I stopped drawing and looked up at him.

"What is it?" I asked knowing something was on his mind.

"I don't think we should stay here much longer. We all know Sophia isn't out there. Not the way we want her to be," Shane said.

"Rick disagrees," I said.

"I know he does. But I don't think staying is what's best."

"You think being on the road again is?" I asked.

"Hershel doesn't want us to stay. You know that. He's going to want us to leave as soon as Daryl and Carl are back on their feet."

"And Sophia?"

"That's a fools hope. All I care about right now is keeping you safe. And I don't think this is the best place for us."

"If you're wanting me to side with you I can't. I'm not taking sides," I said and the silence between us continued.

That night we prepared the meal for Hershel and his family. I wasn't much help since I'd never really used a whole kitchen before. I just had a microwave in my dorm. But Lori and Carol were both housewives and knew what to do.

We all took our seats at the table. Glenn, Maggie, Beth, and Jimmy all sat at a separate table like children. I was barely older than them but still got a seat next to Shane. The food was great. But the conversation was nonexistent. When Glenn decided to lighten the atmosphere and ask is anyone could play guitar Patricia ruined it by dropping her fork and saying Otis could play.

"Yes. And he was very good too," Hershel said. I had to hold back a sigh. I felt bad for Glenn who turned back around in his seat with his head hung low.

"I'm going to bring Daryl some dinner," Carol said standing from her place and taking her plate to the sink.

"I'll bring Carl some," I said standing with her. When I went into the room where he was he was still sleeping. I sat the food on the bedside table and pulled up a seat. My thoughts wandered to what my child would be like. I wondered if it would be like Carl and always get into trouble. I heard the door creak open behind me and Shane walked in. He pulled up a chair beside me and sat down.

"I see he has no problem sleeping," he said quietly. "I've been thinking about our situation. I don't guess it would hurt anything to search for Sophia a bit longer. But I don't want to be stuck here looking forever. I understand I don't know what it's like to lose a child but I know I wouldn't want anything to happen to Carl. Not again."

"Thank you," I said. Shane looked over at me. "I hate it when you and Rick argue." Carl shifted on the bed and opened his eyes.

"Hey man," Shane said smiling.

"We brought you some food," I said picking up the tray. "You hungry?" Carl nodded and I sat it beside him so he could reach it.

"Did they find Sophia?" Carl asked.

"Not yet bud. But we're working on it," Shane assured. Carl nodded and continued eating his food.


	17. Chapter 17

"What did Shane say?" Glenn asked walking up to me. I looked up at him taking a big breath and turned back to the task I was doing. "You haven't told him yet? But you have to. You're pregnant. You need to rest. A nice pillow. He needs to know." Glenn bent down taking out a clump of jerky from the basket he had with him. "Here."

"I don't want your food, Glenn."

"You need to eat! You're too skinny," I was ignoring him as best I could but I knew I needed to tell Shane. "If you're not going to let Shane take care of you then someone has to."

"I'll tell him Glenn. Just give me some time," I said and he finally left.

Shane's POV

I was looking over the map again with Rick and Jimmy. We were going over the plan to look for Sophia again. Jimmy mentioned that there was a housing community that the creek flowed past and she could be there. It was decided I would go with backup after we gave the camp some gun practice.

Glenn walked up offing fruit from a basket. I picked out an apple and looked back down at the map. Glenn gave Jimmy and Rick one too but didn't leave. I looked up and saw he was staring at me. I stared back for a while and noticed how nervous he seemed. I wonder what was up with the boy.

"My binoculars?" I said seeing if he would leave. He quickly sat the basket down and took the binoculars off his shoulder and handed them to me.

"Bye," he said picking up his basket and walking off quickly. I watched him leave then turned to Rick and chuckled.

"What up with him?" Rick shrugged. Patricia and Hershel's youngest daughter came up to talk with Rick about gun training and I noticed Carl under the RV awning by himself. I decided I would talk to him.

"Hey! What's new man?" I asked the boy I saw as my own son. We went around to the front of the RV where I took a seat against the bumper.

"I want to learn to shoot too. Can you teach me?" he asked.

"Now man that's up to your parents."

"Can you talk to them? They'll listen to you."

"We'll see," I said nodding. Carl started to walk away but I stopped him. "Hey! Let's see what you got there."

Carl stopped and lifted up his shirt revealing a gun in his waistband. I cussed and threw my apple across the ground. I looked back up at Carl and stood taking him by the arm. Rick had left the truck where we stood moments earlier but I saw Joey by the fire.

"Where'd Rick go?" I asked.

"To talk to Hershel," she said with a confused look on her face.

"Will you go get him?"

"Yeah," she said looking at Carl and ran off towards the house. I found Lori who was talking with Dale and said we needed to talk. Joey returned with Rick and I told them about Carl having a gun. Lori marched over to Carl and demanded he give it to her.

"How the hell did this happen?" she asked.

"Well it was my fault. I let him into the RV. He said he wanted a walkie," Dale spoke up. He looked over at Rick. "Did you send him for one?"

"So on top of everything else, he lied. What do you think?" Lori asked Rick. He only shrugged. I looked to Joey who raised an eyebrow and shrugged as well.

"He wants to learn how to shoot. He asked me to teach him," I said. "Now, it's none of my business but I'm happy to do it. But it's your call."

"Well I'm not comfortable with this," Lori said. Rick didn't say anything just looked to me and his sister. "Oh don't make me out to be the unreasonable one here. Rick?"

"I know. I have my concerns too but," Rick started.

"There's no but. He was just shot. He's just back on his feet. And he want a gun?"

"Better than him being afraid of them," Joey said. Lori shot daggers at her with her eyes.

"There are guns in camp for a reason. He should learn to handle them safely," Rick said.

"I don't want my kid walking around with a gun."

"How can you defend that?" Rick said. "You can't let him go around without protection.

"He's as safe as he'll ever be right here," Lori said. "Look, everything you're saying makes perfect sense. It feels wrong. I mean I didn't feel good about him following you out into the woods. And I wish I'd said something. I wish I'd gone with my gut."

"He's growing up. Thank God. We have to start treating him like more of an adult."

"Then he needs to act like one. He's not mature enough to handle a gun."

"I'm not going to play with it mom," Carl said standing up and coming over to us. "It's not a toy. I'm sorry I disappointed you. But I want to look for Sophia. I want to defend our camp. I can't do that without a gun."

"Shane's the best instructor I know," Rick said to Lori. "I've seen him teach kids younger than Carl."

They both looked over to me and I nodded. Lori dropped her head and seemed to think this all through. He walked over to Carl and grabbed him by the chin.

"You will take this seriously," she said to him. "And you will behave responsibly and if I hear from anyone in this camp that you are not living up to our expectations,"

"He won't let you down," Rick interrupted.

"Yeah," Carl said looking at his father then to Lori. I tapped Joey on the shoulder and jerked my head back signaling for her to follow me.

"You ready to teach these people how to shoot?" I asked.

"Can't be that hard right? You and Rick managed to teach me," she said. We loaded the guns into the back of the Hyundai and I asked Glenn if he was joining us.

"I gotta help Dale clean the sparkplugs on the RV. Say's he gonna teach me mechanics. I should probably go look for him," he said still with a nervousness to him.

"You found me," Dale said from his spot behind Glenn. Dale looked to me. "He's a good learner."

I nodded and closed the back of the car. I didn't know what was up with Glenn but it was weird. I'd have to ask Joey and Rick if he acted this way towards them. I got in the driver's seat and looked over at Joey beside me. I put the car in drive and followed the rest of the vehicles out of the farm.

"Has Glenn been acting weird to you?" I asked.

"Acting weird? How so?" she said but wouldn't look at me. In my years as a cop I'd learned to pick up on things like this. She knew something.

"Not you too," I said with a disappointed laugh.

"What?" she said turning to me.

"You're not going to tell me what it is are you?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," she said turning back to the window. I dropped the issue.

We got to the fence where we would practice shooting and set up bottles along the fence posts. Everyone was handed a gun that they could handle me, Rick, T-Dog, and Joey helped everyone as they tried to hit their targets. I walked down the line watching everyone as they shot. Joey was knelt beside Carl telling him to line up the sights and squeeze the trigger. She stood and followed me to the end of the line.

"Don't be discouraged," I said to Andrea who had yet to hit her bottle.

"You'll hit your target eventually," Joey said with a bit of an attitude in her voice.

"Who says I didn't hit my target?" Andrea said back to her.

I lifted my binoculars to take a look. I lowered them to see she had hit a sign on the fence. The middle of the "O" in "No Trespassing" every time. I turned to Joey and asked for her gun. She looked at me skeptically and handed it to me. I turned and handed it to Andrea.

"Try this one. It's heavier. Got better balance. Twice the rounds." I stepped back and let her shoot. I looked down at Joey who was glaring at me. I looked back up and saw Andrea shoot the bottle.

"See she's got the hang of it," I said to Rick and Joey walked off to Carl again.

"I'd say she's ready for the advanced class," Rick said and walked off to help someone else.

"How's it feel?" I asked Andrea.

"I like the weight," she said looking at the gun. "Don't suppose I can keep it can I?"

"Was a gift to Joey. Don't think that's a good idea," I said.

"Guess you're little girlfriend made you want to stay with us then?" Andrea said smiling at me. I looked over at Joey and Carl and saw Carl shoot and hit his target. Andrea handed me the gun back and went back to using her own.

Joey's POV

When we got back to camp Lori started on cooking supper. I walked past the camp and the smell hit my stomach. I walked behind my tent quickly and gagged. I took a seat on a stump and Dale walked up to me.

"You remember when I told you about my wife and I almost having a child?" I looked up to her. "The thing I remember most about her pregnancy was how nauseated she became at the smell of cooking meat. She was a meat eating gal!"

"Glenn told you," I said looking down at my feet.

"What do you expect. The boy has no guile."

"I haven't told anyone yet," I said looking up at him.

"You haven't told Shane?" Dale asked kneeling down next to me.

"Is it that obvious?"

"No. I don't think anyone knows for sure."

"Rick would be furious. He will be furious."

"And Shane?"

"I think he'll want it," I said nodding.

"Then what's your concern?"

"This world isn't anyplace to have a baby. Carl can barely survive. How is a baby going to make it?"

"You can't think like that."

"Do you really think this baby has a chance? Look me in the eye and tell me you think this child will grow up to be your age." Dale didn't say anything and I stood up and walked away. I walked off to the edge of the property by the woods. I sat down against a tree and sifted through my thoughts.

"What's wrong with you?" Shane asked walking up to me. I couldn't tell him about what I was thinking about. So instead I brought up something else that had been bothering me.

"You gave her my gun?" I asked.

"You're upset about that?"

"That's not all Shane. There are limited amounts of people left in this world and Andrea seems to have her eyes set on you."

"Why are you mad at me? You know I'd choose you."

"Would you?"

"Of course," he said and handed my gun back to me.

"How sweet. You give away my gun and decide to give it back."

"What the hell is wrong with you lately?" Shane said as his voice grew a little higher.

"What's wrong with me? You're the one who's lost his mind since you came back from that trip to the school. I'm not so sure you didn't have something to do with Otis dying!" I knew it hurt because the pain flashed across his eyes before anger took its place.

"Screw you Joey! I can take everyone else in the camp not trusting me but you're the one I'm supposed to be able to count on! I'm supposed to trust you. But come to think of it I'm not exactly sure I can. Not when you're keeping secrets with Glenn! What? You screwing him now too?" he yelled. I gasped at how wrong he had seen the situation. I shook my head and walked off.

I was walking down the driveway away from camp when Shane pulled up beside me in the Hyundai. He rolled the window down and asked me to stop. When I didn't he pulled the Hyundai up in front of me and put it in park. He got out of the car.

"Come on Joey. I didn't mean that. You've just both been acting weird lately," he said.

"Is that an apology?" I asked.

"Yes. It's an apology. But to be fair I think you owe me one too." I stopped walking and turned around to face him. He looked sincere enough. I lowered my head and took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened with Otis but I know you did the right thing."

"Come here," he said opening his arms up and I walked in to them. "I got a lead on Sophia. I was gonna go check it out. Why don't you come with me? Be my backup." I nodded against his chest. He released me and we both got in the car.

We pulled up to a community with closely built hoses. We got out of the car and I checked my gun. Shane pulled out his binoculars and took a quick look down the street. He nodded and we started walking down the road.

"We'll have to go house to house. Start at the far end and work our way back," he said. I nodded.

"You think if Sophia made it here she might actually have a shot?" I asked. He looked at me and kept walking.

We walked into a house and I called out for Sophia quietly. Shane had his gun drawn and was looking around corners for any danger. I walked past the kitchen to the hallway. A piece of drywall had been placed in the middle of it blocking the way. A hole was knocked in the bottom of it.

"They walled up the hallway," I said.

"They tried to make a stand here," Shane said lowering his gun.

Shane looked through the hole in the bottom and climbed through. I followed and we ended up in a room with dead walkers on the floor. I called out for Sophia again but there was still no answer. We walked down some stairs and into a garage. The sight was disturbing. Body's lay on the floor picked clean by walkers. Flies crawled over them and the smell was disgusting. I couldn't hold it in and had to puke in a corner.

"She was never here," I said looking around. We heard growls and turned to see feet coming towards the cracked garage door. Walkers started climbing under and Shane grabbed my arm.

"Come on. Let's move." We ran back through the house and through the front door. Shane raised his gun and looked around at the walkers between us and the car. "You cover that street and I'll clear the car."

I shot any walkers that came close to us and Shane took out the one's next to the Hyundai. My gun jammed and Shane turned and took out the walker I had been aiming at. I cleared the jam from my gun and continued to make my way to the car. We got in the car and burned rubber getting out of there.

"You know if that'd been anyone else back there with a jammed gun I'd be dead," Shane said. "Except maybe Rick."

"So that's why you love me? For my ability to unjam a gun?"

"I love you for a lot of things," Shane said smiling.

"Like what?" I asked smiling back. He stopped the car in the middle of the road and put it in park.

"Come here," he said and pulled me over the center console into his lap.

Back at camp Carol was waiting for us with Rick. We parked the car and got out. Carol walked up to us and Shane shook his head.

"I'm sorry Carol. We'll cover more ground tomorrow," I said.

"What happened?" Rick asked. I stared at my brother scared he knew about me and Shane.

"The place was overrun," Shane said.

"Yeah," I said. "She was never there."

Rick nodded and we dispersed. I walked to the well by the shed to get water to clean myself up. I heard footsteps behind me and my hand flew to my gun while my head shot up. I relaxed when I saw Shane.

"Calm down babe. I ain't a walker," he said and came to help me with the pump. "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah? Why?" I asked looking down at the bucket.

"It's just you haven't been sleeping well. And you've gotten sick an awful lot. When we pulled that walker up and again looking for Sophia. And then you fainted the other day. I'm just worried is all."

"You know I've never liked the sight of blood," I said smiling. "I've got a weak stomach."

"It didn't bother you before. We've killed plenty of walkers. You seemed fine up until we got here. You sure you don't want Hershel to give you a check up?"

"I'm fine Shane. I promise," I said. "Now take this bucket to camp and clean yourself up. I'll be there in a minute."

Shane nodded and left with the bucket. I started the pump again began to wash my arms off. It was becoming obvious that there was something wrong with me. I'd have to tell Shane soon. I was just afraid of how he'd react. I know he loves kids but having one in the apocalypse isn't a great idea.

I stood to leave and turned back towards camp to see Shane stomping towards me. I figured he'd gotten into an argument with someone but then I spotted the box in his hand. My stomach dropped and I thought I might pass out again.

"You want to tell me something Joey?" he said walking up to me with gritted teeth. I stood speechless and shocked. I'd completely forgotten about the box and left it in the tent. "Are you Joey? Are you pregnant?"

"Yes," I said quietly.

"What?"

"Yes Shane! I am! I'm pregnant!" I said as tears ran down my face.

"When the hell were you going to tell me this?" he said throwing the box at my feet.

"Soon! I just, I didn't know how."

"How long have you known?" he said a little quieter but not any less angry.

"I didn't know for sure, Shane!"

"So you sent Glenn to get you a test. So he knew and I didn't."

"Shane I didn't know what to do! You don't even want to stay with the doctor!"

"Don't put this on me!" he said getting loud again. I was glad we were far from camp and no one could hear this. "Did you think I wouldn't want it? Think I'd just leave you sittin here while I left?"

"I didn't know Shane! Look at Lori and Rick! They have a son who can look after himself for the most part and they can't even keep him from getting hurt. What are we going to do with a baby?"

"Well we don't have a choice do we?" Shane said and sat down hard against the shed.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. He shook his head and rubbed his head with his hands. "I'm sorry."

"Does anyone else know besides Glenn?" Shane said much calmer now.

"No," I said shaking my head.

"So your brother? When are you going to tell him?"

"I don't know. I hadn't thought about it," I said looking down.

"We'll think about it later," Shane said and opened his arm out. "Just come sit down. Stop worrying yourself for now."

I sat beside Shane and laid my head on his shoulder. He'd calmed down significantly but his breathing was still heavy and his pulse was quick. I could tell he was wondering how we would survive like I was.


	18. Chapter 18

Shane and I hadn't talked about the baby except late at night. We didn't want Rick to learn about it before we were ready to tell him.

We were sitting around the tents eating breakfast when Glenn stood and cleared his throat. We all turned to watch him speak. I continued to eat while he stood nervously in front of us.

"Uh guys," he said rubbing his chin. "So… The barn is full of walkers."

I dropped my fork back down on my plate and we all stared at Glenn with open mouths for a moment. Shane put his plate down and started stomping towards the barn. I stood to follow and soon our whole camp stood outside the barn. Shane walked up to the doors and peaked in through the crack while we all stood back watching. Shane stepped back then walked back over to Rick.

"You cannot tell me you are alright with this," he said shoving past him.

"We're guest here. This isn't our land," Rick argued.

"For God's sake. This is our lives!" Shane said raising his voice.

"Lower your voices," Glenn said nervously.

"We can't just sweep this under the rug," Andrea piped in.

"We either have to go in there and make things right or we have to go," Shane said pacing. I looked up at Shane but he didn't look back. We couldn't leave. "We have been talking about For Benning for a while,"

"We can't go," Rick said trying to calm Shane down.

"Why not Rick? Why?"

"Because my daughters still out there," Carol said from behind Rick. Shane brought his hands up to his face and laughed to himself. He took a deep breath before he started talking again.

"Ok I think it's time we all start to consider the other possibilities. Now I,"

"Shane! We're not leaving Sophia behind!" Rick said.

"We're so close to finding this girl! I just found her doll the other day!"

"You found her doll Daryl. That's what you did. You found a doll!" Shane said angering Daryl.

"You don't know what they hell you're talking about!" Daryl said advancing Shane.

"Let me tell you something else man. If she was out there and saw you coming, all messed up with your buck knife and geek ears around your neck she would run in the opposite direction!" Shane yelled. Daryl jumped towards him and Rick tried his best to push the two apart. Glenn and Andrea jumped in to stop the fight. Andrea laid a hand on Shane's chest and he pushed her off of him.

"Just let me talk to Hershel about it!" Rick yelled while Shane walked over to me.

"Hershel see's those things in there as people," Dale said. "Sick people. His wife. His stepson."

"You knew?" Rick asked Dale.

"Yesterday, I talked to Hershel."

"And you waited until now?" Shane asked.

"I thought we could survive one more night! And we did. I was waiting until this morning to say something but Glenn wanted to be the one."

"That man crazy Rick! If Hershel thinks those things are alive!" Rick and Shane started yelling again and the doors to the barn rattled as the walkers pushed against it.

"Everyone just needs to go back to camp. I'll talk to Hershel," Rick said. Member of the group started to head back to camp and soon it was just me, Shane, and Rick. "Shane, just let me talk to him."

"Alright man. Alright," Shane said calming down a little. "I'm at least going to make sure it's secure."

"I'll allow that. Come on Joey," Rick said.

"I'll be there in a minute," I said. Rick nodded and walked off. "You want to leave now?"

"Joey it's not safe here. Not with a barn full of walkers and Hershel being out of his mind."

"You think it would be safer out there? We don't know what's out there."

"Exactly! There could be civilization out there. There could be people living at Fort Benning who have the proper equipment to survive. Real doctors there. Not vets!"

"Shane I don't want to risk it. I don't want to go out there again."

"Then we need to clear this barn out," he said.

"Just wait until Rick talks to Hershel. Please." Shane nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay?"

"Okay," he said looking up at me. "I just want to keep you and the baby safe."

"I know. And we'll be fine."

I left Shane and found Maggie working in the garden again. I picked up a basket and went to join her. She looked up and smiled at me.

"Glenn told us," I said.

"I know. I'm pissed at him for it."

"You shouldn't be. He didn't want to hurt you," I said.

"I know. What do your people think about the situation?"

"Rick wants to talk to Hershel about it. Shane doesn't like it at all."

"It's not his decision to make."

"He's just worried," I started and stopped the sentence short. I continued to pull weeds but Maggie stopped and looked at me.

"Worried about what?" I didn't answer. "You've had something on your mind for a while Joey. Are you going to tell me or will I have to guess?"

"I'm pregnant," I said quietly. I looked up at Maggie and she nodded.

"That was actually going to be my first guess. It's Shane's?"

"Yeah. My brother doesn't know. Please don't say anything," I said.

"I won't. But he shouldn't worry. That barn is enough to hold them in there." I nodded and continued weeding.

Shane's POV

I checked all the doors to the barn. They were secure. But I didn't know how long they would hold. A hungry pack of walkers could bring down a whole barn if they wanted. I didn't like the idea of Joey being so close to this kind of danger. I knew she could take care of herself but in a few months it would be harder.

I was leaning against an old tractor staring at the barn trying to think of a game plan when Rick walked up to me.

"What it gonna be man? Which way this thing go?" I asked.

"I don't know yet."

"Well what did he say?"

"We're negotiating." I laughed at this.

"Clocks ticking Rick."

"No. No it's not Shane. That barn's secure. We didn't even know about it until this morning."

"But we know about it now. We know there's over a dozen walkers in there." I turned to face Rick running my hand over my face. "We know it's about a stone's throw from our camp Rick. Where we sleep. So if we're not going to go in and clear it out then we just need to go."

"We're not going to clear it out and we're not going to go! Why are you so worried about it?" Rick asked. I took a deep breath and words came out of my mouth before I had time to think about it.

"Joey's pregnant," I said. Rick stared at me with his mouth hanging open.

"What?" he said snapping his jaw shut. His eyebrows came together and I knew he was pissed.

"She's pregnant, Rick. I can't, we can't let her stay here with it being this dangerous. In a few months she won't be able to take care of herself against walkers like she can now."

"How could you do this to me?" Rick asked.

"Rick that's the least of our problems right now."

"That's my little sister!" Rick yelled.

"And I love her!" I yelled back. I thought Rick was going to punch me but instead he turned and walked away.

I was walking back to camp later that afternoon going to find Joey when Carl stopped me.

"I know you think we should leave and stop looking for Sophia," Carl said. "But, but that's bullshit!"

"Hey now watch your mouth," I said to the little boy.

"We're going to stay here until we find her!" he demanded.

"You think that's what we should do?"

"That's what I know we should do!"

"Then we stay. That means we gotta do whatever we gotta do to let that happen."

"Like help out with chores?" he asked. That's not exactly what I had in mind but I nodded and Carl seemed content with the answer.

Joey's POV

I was sitting cutting carrots Maggie had given me from the garden when my brother walked over to me. I smiled up at him but when I noticed the look on his face my smile dropped. I instantly knew he'd found out.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I knew you'd be pissed," I said.

"I'm madder now than I would've been if you'd just told me. Instead I had to learn from Shane. And not only that but you're pregnant? How do expect to survive?"

"You don't think I'm worried about it? You don't think I've thought about what could happen? I have Rick! But me and this baby are going to be fine!"

"And Shane? What does he think?"

"He's happy about it! Maybe you should be," I said and picked up my basket leaving Rick where he sat.

I went and found Shane who had been looking for me. He brought me off away from the camp to talk.

"I'm sorry I told Rick," Shane said.

"It's okay. He had to find out somehow."

"What did he say to you?"

"He wasn't happy about it. He never wanted us together in the first place."

"Where is Rick now anyway?"

"I dunno. I saw him and Hershel go somewhere with Jimmy."

"Well, you shouldn't be worrying about it," Shane said pulling me to him and kissing my head. "Let's get back to camp."

We walked back to camp to see our group gathered around the barn. They were asking where Rick was and Daryl was yelling saying they needed to look for Sophia. When he spotted us he walked over to Shane.

"Bout damn time," he said. "We going to look for the little girl or not?"

"Rick's not back?" I asked.

"Hadn't seen him since he went off with Hershel," Andrea said.

"Does anyone know where they went?" I asked.

"Walker!" T-Dog yelled pointing behind us. I turned to see a walker with a pole wrapped around its neck heading towards us. I turned to run but tripped over a root and the walker was growling over me before I could stand back up. A gunshot when off and the walker fell beside me with a hole in its head. I looked up to see Shane standing above me with a gun in one hand and the other stretched out for me to grab.

As soon as I was on my feet Rick ran up to us out of breath. When he saw the walker dead on the ground he shook his head. Hershel walked up with a walker on one end of a pole while he lead it with the other.

"What the hell is this?" Shane asked enraged. "Somebody get the damn guns!" Daryl ran off to the RV to get the bag of guns.

"Shane calm down," Rick started.

"That thing nearly killed your sister Rick!" Shane said pointing to the dead walker. "These things ain't sick! They ain't people! They're the things that killed Amy! They killed Otis!"

"Shane shut up!" Rick yelled taking the walker from Hershel who was struggling with it.

"Hey Hershel let me ask you something," Shane said pulling his gun from his waistband. "Does a living breathing person walk away from this?" he shot the walker Rick had in the chest twice and the walker kept coming at Shane growling. "That's two rounds to the chest. Someone who's alive, could they just take that?"

"Shane that's enough!" Daryl had arrived back with the guns by now and was handing them out to members of our group.

"Why is that still coming?" Shane asked raising his gun again and shooting twice more. "That's its heart, its lung! Why is that still coming?"

"Shane that's enough!" Rick yelled again.

"Yeah you're right man. That is enough," Shane and turned and grabbed a pick ax and started bashing the lock off the barn.

"Hershel take this!" Rick yelled trying to get rid of the walker so he could stop Shane.

"Shane!" I yelled trying to run forward and stop him but T-Dog held me back. "Shane no! Stop!"

Shane broke the lock off and stepped back aiming his gun at the barn door. Soon the walkers pushed the doors open and they began to flow out. Shane began shoot them taking them down one by one. Andrea ran up to join him then Daryl. Glenn eventually joined in when the walkers became too many.

T-Dog let me go to help and when Shane turned to shoot the walker Rick was holding he didn't noticed a walker run up to him from behind. I screamed and pulled my gun. The walker fell before I knew I had shot my gun. Shane turned and saw the walker hit the ground then turned to see that I had shot it.

Finally the walkers all lay in a pile in front of the barn. Hershel sat in shock while Maggie and her sister cried. I stood with my gun hanging loose in my hand staring at Shane. I couldn't believe he'd lost it like that. Shane turned and looked at me and I shook my head in disapproval.

Growling could be heard from the barn again and Shane turned back around to take out the last walker. Only when Sophia walked out of the barn no one knew what to do. She wasn't the little girl we knew. She was grey with white eyes and a bite mark missing out of her neck.

We all stood shocked while the Carol called out Sophia's name and started running towards the little girl. Daryl dropped his gun and caught her before she could past him and she collapsed on the ground crying. Sophia slowly walked towards the group growling. Lori held back Carl while he cried for his friend. Shane's head dropped but he couldn't raise his gun.

Rick walked forward and raised his arm up aiming his gun at the little girl. A shot rang out and Sophia collapsed on the ground with the rest of the walkers. When the ringing of that gunshot disappeared all that could be heard was the wailing of Carol.


	19. Chapter 19

Daryl eventually pulled Carol up off the ground and started leading her back to camp but she pushed him away and ran off alone. Beth ran over to the pile of walkers crying. Rick tried to stop her but she brushed him off and knelt beside a walker who must've been someone close to her. She rolled the walker over and it started growling and grabbing at her. It'd only been shot in the jaw. We rushed over and Shane pulled the girl away from the walker while the rest of the group pried its claws off of her. T-Dog ran over and stomped the walkers brains in with his boot.

Beth was taken away and Hershels family left to go back to the house to mourn. I looked to my brother who seemed lost and then to Shane who had the same guilt on his face as he did after the school. His eyes met mine and I looked away. T-Dog started going around making sure all the walkers were dead and I walked into the barn with my gun drawn to check for anymore. There weren't any but I did find some blankets. I took one outside and laid it over Sophia gently. When I was done I stood and Lori called for me.

"Will you take Carl inside?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said walking over to them and leading my nephew towards the tents. We took a seat at a picnic table towards the back. "You okay, Carl?"

"Yeah. I just really thought we were going to find her."

"I did too buddy."

"Aunt Joey?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Shane did the right thing? Killing those walkers?" I paused for a moment. I didn't know how to answer the question.

"I think killing the walkers was right but they were also family members to Hershel and he should have thought about that first."

"Yeah I guess," Carl said. I looked up and saw Shane walking towards us.

"Why don't you go get a notepad and some pencils from my tent? They're laying on top of a suitcase. I'll teach you to draw."

Carl nodded and jumped off the picnic table going towards the tents. Shane walked over but got into Otis's old blue truck instead of coming over to me. He closed the door but opened it again and looked back at me.

"You got something to say to me Little Grimes?" I didn't say anything. "You gonna be pissed at me forever now? Think we should've listened to your brother and gotten eaten in a month?"

"Shane," I started with gritted teeth.

"Nah. You see I did this for you. And you're just be pissed at me for it? You think I wanted Sophia to be in there? Hell, we all knew she was dead Joey! You knew!"

"Shane keep your voice down," I said looking back at camp.

"How about you let me make the decisions. I know what this camp needs! What I did was right!"

"You're upset Shane. You need to calm down," I said standing to leave. Shane huffed and walked back to the truck. He started it up and drove off.

Carl returned with the notepad and pencils but I knew he'd heard it all. I took a moment to compose myself before turning to the boy.

"Okay. Let's get started," I said smiling.

"Shane's right. Everyone knew she was dead."

"Carl! Don't listen to Shane right now. He's not right. He needs to rest and calm down," I said taking a seat. "He'll be better after some rest." Carl nodded and I did too trying to convince myself that Shane would get over this.

Lori came and got us when it was time for the service. We gathered around the graves and words were spoken for the fallen family members. Carl stood close to his mother and father leaving me to stand off to the side looking at Shane. He stood off from everyone else and was the first to walk off when the service ended. I decided to give him some time alone.

I went off to the tents and spotted Maggie sitting on the porch. I went to talk to her and took a seat next to her.

"I'm so sorry," I said.

"It's nothing to apologize for. I realize they weren't coming back. It's just now my father won't let you guys stay," she said.

"Glenn?"

"I don't know. Do you think he'd stay with me?"

"You could ask," I said. She nodded and stood.

"I don't blame you Joey. And if you guys do have to leave I'll really miss you."

"Good luck Maggie," I said and she walked into the house. I sat on the porch a little longer and was about to leave when I heard a crash inside. I ran inside to see Maggie and Glenn standing of Beth who was laying in the floor.

"Beth!" Maggie screamed.

"What happened?" I asked running over to them.

"I don't know! She just fell down."

"Let's get her to a bed," Glenn said and picked her up. We carried her to her bedroom and sat her on the bed.

"She could be in shock," I said. "Where's Hershel?"

"I haven't seen him in a while," Maggie said.

"I'll go find him," I said and ran out of the house. I looked by the barn, the shed, the fields. I couldn't find him. Finally I came across Rick, Shane, T-Dog, and Andrea piling the bodies into a truck.

"Have any of you seen Hershel?" I asked out of breath.

"No. Why?" Rick asked. "What's wrong?"

"It's Beth. We think she's gone into shock."

"I'm coming," Rick said laying down the walker body and following me. Shane came along too but didn't say anything. We got back to the house and I told Maggie we couldn't find him.

"I looked in his room. Come look," Maggie said. We all followed her into Hershel's room to find boxes filled with women's things.

"Your stepmothers things?" Shane asked.

"He was so sure she'd recover. And they'd just pick up where they left off," Maggie said. Shane picked up something off the dresser.

"Looks like he found an old friend," Shane said and tossed the flask to Rick.

"That was my grandfathers," Maggie said taking the flask from Rick to inspect. "He gave it to dad when he died."

"I didn't take Hershel for a drinker," Rick said.

"No. He gave it up on the day I was born. He didn't even allow liquor in the house."

"What's the bar in town?" Rick said getting an idea.

"Hatlands. He practically lived there in his drinking days."

"Then that's where I'll find him," Rick said and looked to Glenn.

"I've seen the place. I'll take you," he said.

"I'll get the truck," Rick said but Maggie stopped Glenn before he could go.

"It's an easy run," Glenn assured her.

"Like the pharmacy thing?"

"Hey Maggie," Rick said tapping her on the elbow. "I'll bring him back."

Rick walked out with Lori. Shane walked out next and I followed him. We walked out the back door of the house and he headed towards the water pump. He knew I was following him but he never said anything. I stood against the shed while he ran water over his head rinsing the sweat off.

"You calmed down any?" I finally said. Shane stopped the pump and took a deep breath staring at the ground. Finally his eyes met mine and he nodded.

"I didn't want it to happen like that. If I had known Sophia was in there," Shane said and stopped. "I was just trying to keep everybody safe. I had no idea she was in there."

"I know Shane."

We walked back to camp and Shane went to help T-Dog burn the bodies. Lori came up to me and asked if I would watch Carl. I agreed and went to find the boy. I walked in the house and Maggie was sitting in the living room.

"How's Beth?" I asked.

"We need daddy," she said.

"They'll find him." She nodded. "Have you seen Carl?"

"He was in the kitchen. I made him a sandwich."

"Thanks," I said and started to walk off.

"Hey Joey?" I stopped and turned to Maggie.

She stood and held up a finger. She ran up stairs and then came back down with the baseball and gloves from the room me and Shane had stayed in.

"Maybe he'd like to play some ball," she said. I smiled and took the gloves and ball.

"Thanks Maggie. If you need me I'll be playing catch," I said and went to find Carl. He was in the kitchen finishing his sandwich. "Hey kiddo! Wanna play some catch?"

"Sure," he said with a mouth full of sandwich. He stood and brought his plate to the sink. We went out to the front yard and I handed him a glove.

"Go easy on me. It's been a while since I've thrown. I might thrown my shoulder out of place."

"Did you play?" Carl asked as he threw me the ball.

"Nah. But your dad and Shane did. I played catch with them when they practiced," I said tossing it back. The conversation continued as we threw the ball back and forth. I was about to throw the ball to Carl again when I saw a flame out of the corner of my eye. I turned my head to see that Shane and T-Dog had started up the fire. I turned back to Carl and threw the ball again.


End file.
